By Joyce Gramza
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wrvo/local-wrvo-925881.mp3
Oswego, NY – Carl Paladino won the Republican primary for governor despite the public revelation of some of his emails, containing crude jokes about race and sex.
But now, some women say their protests against Paladino are just beginning.
In Rochester, women Democratic leaders protested in Susan B. Anthony square on Thursday.
Nora Bredes, of the Eleonor Roosevelt Legacy Committee, organized the small protest after Paladino's victory took them by surprise.
"In the face of the kinds of emails and proclamations he's made, the insensitivity to girls and women in New York State, you know, frankly on Sunday morning I woke up and said, We've got to do something,'" Bredes said.
Rochester City Councilwoman Elaine Spaull said she hopes it's the start of a grassroots uprising across the state.
"I am discouraged and in despair that these remarks, these emails, these attitudes, are not being called out more publicly, even by Mr. Paladino's own party, and by the women in his party," said Spaull.
Carole Marsh, president of Republican Women of Central New York, says she doesn't like sexism either.
"Women probably are the majority of votes today," Marsh said. "I'm not sure what those numbers are, but we hold a great deal of influence and we hold many families together and we should be given that plus for doing that."
"If there were comments made in the past, I would hope that he would learn from that, and not do any of that in the future and not practice it," she said.
Marsh thinks if Paladino shows respect for women, voters will overlook the past.
"I would hope that the accusations weren't always correct, but I would hope that we would just go forward and look at the issues, what is the best thing for New York State," Marsh said.
But the protestors said Paladino's unguarded behavior before his campaign reveals his true positions.
"What comes out of a person's mouth is often in the heart," Spaull said. "There's often a direct link between the heart and the mind and what's going on, so these are not just idle statements, These are positions that could become policies. That's the fear."