The Cayuga County Independence Party endorsed Auburn City Councilor David Dempsey's mayoral bid over incumbent Mayor Tim Lattimore during its candidate's endorsement meeting Wednesday.

The endorsement of Dempsey over Lattimore was a closely divided one, reported Frederick Farrell, the secretary for the party. "It was kind of a close decision," Farrell said.

Despite some misgivings about Dempsey's physical altercation with Lattimore in 2004 and other issues, Dempsey won endorsement because "we found the city financially does a halfway decent job in comparison to the county and the school districts," Farrell said. "David seems to have more conciliatory tones in terms of union contracts and Tim was more forceful. Could there be a better mayoral candidate? Yes."

Dempsey, a Democrat, previously won Independence endorsement for his city council run. Art Wenzel received the party's endorsement for mayor in 2003.

Some members were uncomfortable with Lattimore, Farrell said, because of Lattimore's support for an Indian casino in the city of Auburn and alleged ties of Lattimore's campaign to a group of "party raiders" who made an effort in 2005 and 2006 to take control of the Independence Party and gear the party toward a different style of political candidate.

Farrell, acting as his own attorney, succeeded in court actions last year to knock out 38 people from running for spots on the Independence Party county committee because of their lack of sympathy to the party's precepts.

Peter Koetzer, a former chairman of the Independence Party, and incumbent Thomas McNabb were endorsed for Auburn City Council.

Read the full report in Friday's edition of The Citizen.