J. Christopher Callaghan

J. Christopher Callaghan is the former Treasurer of Saratoga County, New York, and an unsuccessful candidate for New York State Comptroller in the 2006 statewide elections of the Republican and Conservative Parties.

Political career

Treasurer Callagahan has worked in government finance for over 30 years. This began as Budget Officer for the Town of Waterford from 1980 to 1986. Callaghan worked for the Saratoga County Administrator's Office as a management analyst from 1983 through 1997. At the end of his tenure in 1997, Gov. George Pataki appointed Callaghan to fill the vacancy of theSaratoga County Treasurer. He was later elected to the treasurer's office in his own right in 1998 and reelected in 2002. He is the President of the New York State Association of County Treasurers and Finance Officers, and a member of the National Association of County Treasurers and Finance Officers. He retired as Treasurer in 2006 to pursue his bid for State Comptroller full time. He was replaced by his Deputy Treasurer Sam Pitcheralle.

2006 Comptroller Race

In early 2006, Treasurer Callaghan announced his campaign for state comptroller and picked up an early endorsement from Niagara County Treasurer David Broderick. There were reports that state party leaders were trying to recruit Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef to run for comptroller against Treasurer Callaghan. Vanderhoef announced that he was not running for comptroller and instead announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor.

Callaghan spent much of the summer months of the campaign travelling to the many county fairs throughout New York. He chronicled his visits in a web-campaign ad which he described as "Chris and Alan Hevesi together on the Campaign Trail." [http://www.callaghanfornewyork.com/campaigning.html]

On September 21, 2006, Alan Hevesi admitted that he hired an employee of the state to drive around his wife after Callaghan made a public statement on the matter and called the "Comptroller's hotline." [http://www.callaghanfornewyork.com/press.php?op=job&jobid=137] On September 26, 2006, Callaghan asked the Albany County D.A.'s office to investigate. [http://www.callaghanfornewyork.com/press.php?op=job&jobid=149]

On October 25, Callaghan debated Hevesi in a debate by NY1. Alan Hevesi's undecided stance on attending the debate until mere days before it happened had been criticized by Callaghan. He said, "If Mr. Hevesi needs a ride, we'd be happy to pick him up so he won't have to use a state worker to chauffeur him to the debate." [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/story/460131p-387126c.html]

Callaghan was endorsed by the Poughkeepsie Journal on October 22, 2006. [http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061022/OPINION01/61020022/1004/OPINION] On October 24, 2006 he was endorsed by the New York Sun. [http://www.nysun.com/article/42142] On October 25, the New York Post and the Times Herald-Record also endorsed Callaghan. [http://www.nypost.com/seven/10252006/postopinion/editorials/callaghan_for_comptroller_editorials_.htm] [http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061025/OPINION/610250338/-1/OPINION02] . Callaghan was endorsed by the New York Times on October 27 [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/opinion/27fri3.html] . The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle endorsed Callaghan on October 29 [http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061029/OPINION04/610290327/1041/OPINION] .

Callaghan was defeated on November 7, 2006. He lost to Hevesi, garnering 1,535,329 votes to Hevesi's 2,193,602.

2006 NYS Republican and Conservative Party Ticket

*Governor: John Faso
*Lieutenant Governor: C. Scott Vanderhoef
*Comptroller: J. Christopher Callaghan
*Attorney General: Jeanine Pirro
*U.S. Senate: John Spencer

Political Future

In 2008, Callaghan was considered a potential candidate to replace retiring Congressman Mike McNulty in New York's 21st congressional district. He declined to run and endorsed Schenectady County Legislator Jim Buhrmaster for the race. He is considering another run for Comptroller in 2010. [http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/03/callaghan-says-no-to-08-maybe.html]

Electoral history

2006 Race for state Comptroller
**J. Christopher Callaghan (R), 39.45%
**Alan Hevesi (D), 56.37%
**Julia Willebrand (Green), 2.78%
**John Cain (LBT), 0.99%
**Willie Cotton (SWP), 0.40%

External links

* [http://www.callaghanfornewyork.com/ Chris Callaghan's 2006 campaign website]