Kindlon declares victory in Democratic Primary for Albany County DA

• Kindlon wins with 54.9% of the vote, Soares yet to concede

• Support from key Democrats and local committees boosts Kindlon

• Controversy over $23,000 bonus plagued incumbent Soares

ALBANY — Lee Kindlon, the longtime defense attorney who challenged incumbent David Soares in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, declared himself the winner after unofficial results rolled in Tuesday night, June 25.

Kindlon will appear on November’s ballot as the Democratic Party representative for Albany County District Attorney after garnering 54.9 percent of 21,394 votes, according to an online report provided by the Albany County Board of Elections.

As of Tuesday night, Soares had yet to concede defeat.

Despite his five terms in office, Soares appeared to fall out of favor with area Democrats after granting himself a $23,000 salary bonus. His primary opponent received overwhelming support from within the party this year, earning endorsements from State Senator Neil Breslin, Assemblymembers Pat Fahy and Phil Steck, County Executive Dan McCoy, and County Legislature Chair Joanne Cunningham, among others.

Kindlon also received support from local party committees, including those in Bethlehem, Colonie, Guilderland, and New Scotland.

Soares appeared before a joint county legislature hearing in February to address the controversy over the $23,000 salary bonus he gave himself from a state grant. Facing increasing pressure, Soares announced he would return the money, attributing the situation to a personal political attack.

The bonus stemmed from increased funding for the Aid to Prosecution Grant, which rose from $176,000 to $943,000. Soares asserted that the funds were intended for one-time bonuses, not permanent salary increases, and claimed his office was unaware of any legal issues until notified by County Comptroller Sue Rizzo’s office on January 30.

Soares detailed the timeline of events, including his securing of a sixth-term nomination from the Albany County Democratic Executive Committee In January and media coverage of the grant money story in early February. He lost the Democratic committee’s endorsement less than two weeks later and subsequently arranged to return the bonus.

The total recoverable amount of $44,051.32 includes the bonus, taxes, and longevity payments, which Soares said were also given to previous district attorneys.

Rizzo refuted Soares’ claims, stating she followed due process in referring the matter to state agencies and initiating an investigation. County legislator Jeffrey Kuhn declared Soares’ actions illegal. Steck highlighted Soares’ failure to file required campaign finance disclosure forms since 2021.

The post Kindlon declares victory in Democratic Primary for Albany County DA first appeared on Spotlight News .