Rich David, a Republican who served as mayor of Binghamton for two terms, officially launched his campaign for the Broome County clerkship on Wednesday. The campaign kickoff was held at the Old Union Hotel in Binghamton’s First Ward.

The event saw appearances by several notable Republicans, including the current clerk, Joseph Mihalko; Richard Bucci, the mayor of Binghamton from 1994 to 2005; Johnson City Mayor Martin Meaney; and Port Dickinson Mayor Kevin Burke.

After an introduction and endorsement from Mihalko, who has served as Broome County clerk for eight years, David delivered a brief speech centered around his gratitude for the friends and family who have supported his campaign. If elected, David would act as records management officer for all Broome County records and as an agent to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

“I want to make the office more efficient, and I would also like to expand access more into the rural areas,” David told Pipe Dream. “Right now, the primary offices are in the city of Binghamton and in the Triple Cities, but in the rural areas, there’s a lack of access, so I’d like to explore what’s called a mobile DMV.”

Though county clerks are traditionally responsible for running elections, Broome County designates that authority to the Board of Elections. David and Mihalko both said county clerks do not have the authority to defy President Donald Trump’s executive order banning sex marker changes on IDs. With these limitations in mind, they said the position is not a partisan one.

“There’s no Democratic or Republican way to file deeds or mortgages, nor passport applications or car registrations or driver’s licenses,” Mihalko said in his introduction of David. “It’s all about service — service to the community and to our constituents.”

Despite the sentiment, Mihalko said he was confident that David was a “true Republican.”

David is running in a primary against fellow Republican Aaron Martin, the clerk of the Broome County Legislature who, according to David, was previously not a registered Republican, belonging instead to the Conservative Party. Martin did not immediately return Pipe Dream’s request for comment.

If he wins in June, he could face Nick Libous, the only Democrat currently in the race and the son of the late New York State Sen. Tom Libous, in the general election. Libous, a vice president at Wireless Construction Solutions, previously ran for a State Senate seat on the Republican and Conservative lines but switched his political affiliation several years ago, according to reporting from WIVT. Pipe Dream was unable to reach Libous for comment.

“You have three individuals, and two of them have abandoned their values and their former party for political expediency or political opportunity, because it might be easier for them,” David said of his opponents.

Aside from partisan allegiance, David said his extensive public- and private-sector experience in Binghamton is an asset to his candidacy. After his mayoralty ended, David opened the sports bar Stadium 148 on Washington Street. In 2022, he lost a close race to State Sen. Lea Webb ‘04 to represent New York’s 52nd Senate District.

“I think he’s a man of integrity,” Mihalko said of David. “I think he’s an all-around great guy. He’s got a positive outlook on things, a great vision. He led the city for eight years, and I think he’s able to take over the office and keep moving it forward like we have for the past eight years.”

David said that though some may be surprised by his decision to run for county clerk after serving as mayor and that his political opponents have tried to spread “false narratives,” including that if elected, he would seek higher office before his term expires. He added that he missed public service after his time in government ended.

“I like the fact that there’s so many different interactions with multiple levels of government,” David said. “I love that there’s more interaction with people directly, on the frontlines, than I really had when I was mayor.”