Sandy King takes a political stand

YATES COUNTY—Sandy King’s politically active career is short, but right now she is the point person for the Finger Lakes Tea Party Patriots and the new Yates County Republican Committee chairperson.
King has been a part of the Potter Republican committee for the last five years, but that was the extent of her political involvement. She said this new wave of activity all started a year ago while visiting some family in Old Forge. She was sitting at the kitchen table with two brothers, and they were talking about politics.
“We didn’t like where the country was going,” said King.
One brother was even someone who had voted for Barack Obama. King said he didn’t like the change he had voted for. However, she explained all they were doing was complaining.
“I’m not one to sit around and complain,” King said.
One of her brothers asked her what was going to do. King said she decided then to do something. After talking with her husband, the two settled on what they had seen in the media: the Tea Party.
The first meeting of the Yates County Tea Party, held in Potter, drew in around 26 people. The initial focus was to see how much interest there was. King said she found many like minded people in the area who had the same frustrations and goals.
“We want to take the country back,” she said.
Since then, the meetings have grown bigger. The Tea Party group also held a rally in April that had about 200 people in attendance. The group is now also called the Finger Lakes T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) Party.
It was acting on issues instead of just complaining resulted in her becoming the Republican committee chairperson. King said she was “frustrated with the lack of commitment” from the county Republican group. For example, she said the group sponsored no candidates for election.
King said after the recent primary election, she was asked if she wanted to be the committee’s chairperson. She explained, “when nominated, I said yes.” After winning the position, she didn’t want to create a conflict of interest by also being the point person of the Tea Party group.
At the next Tea Party meeting she asked the members their opinion. King said it was a unanimous decision telling her to stay.
Now, King’s focus is on the Nov. 2 general election. She said the Republican committee and the Tea Party group will be distributing materials, going door-to-door, and educating people on the candidates.
King said the right to vote needs to be used. She pointed out that in the September primary election, 27 percent of eligible people voted. She explained this was double over last year.
“Quite frankly it’s pathetic,” King said.