WGRZ NBC-2

Comptroller Race Looks Close

New poll numbers are in, and right now the race for Erie County Comptroller looks like a close one.

In these times of fiscal crisis, the next comptroller may end up being the most important figure in county government. The comptroller is considered the county's financial watchdog.

In her final days as comptroller, Nancy Naples was quick to criticize the actions of both the county executive and the legislature.

"We're looking for someone like that," Political Analyst Kevin Hardwick said. "Not someone who's a lapdog for the legislature or a lap-dog for the executive, but someone who we can turn to and trust."

Three candidates want to succeed Naples as the next elected comptroller. New numbers suggest not only are two of the three barely known by most voters, it appears to be anyone's race.

We'll start with Republican John Canavan. Our scientific telephone poll of 621 registered voters, with a margin of error of 4%, showed the following for him:

"What it says is that I'm not a politician, and coming out of the private sector, as a complete unknown, it's to be expected that I would have a large number of people who are unfamiliar," Canavan said.

Next, we'll look at Democrat Mark Poloncarz:

"We're planning on running t.v. advertisements, but more importantly, getting out to the voters," Poloncarz said.

Ironically, the man Poloncarz beat in the Democratic Primary, Conservative Bob Whelan, is the best known.

Here are Whelan's survey numbers:

"I had a very lengthy and successful career in the comptroller office and as a judge, so I think there is a probably some dividend that comes from that," said Whelan, a former Buffalo City Comptroller.