Spectrum News 1 will host a debate between the Albany County district attorney candidates running next month in a Democratic primary.
Current county District Attorney David Soares and criminal defense attorney Lee Kindlon will face off at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4. The one-hour event will air on Spectrum News 1 channels in New York state. The debate will be moderated by Capital Tonight political anchor Susan Arbetter.
Soares was elected to office in 2004, defeating incumbent Paul Clyne in a Democratic primary and ultimately winning the general election. Soares lost the endorsement of the Albany County Democratic Committee earlier this year after he was criticized for taking a more than $22,000 bonus. Soares defended the legitimacy of the payments, but returned the money.
Kindlon is a well-known defense attorney in the Capital Region who last year represented Prestige Limousine operator Nauman Hussain in the trial connected to the deadly Schoharie limo crash. Kindlon, an Iraq war veteran, lost the Democratic primary against Soares in 2012. He recently was endorsed by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan.
The winner of the race will be on the Democratic Party line for November ballots. Kindlon also has the support of the Working Families Party. Ralph Ambrosio, a former assistant district attorney and assistant attorney general under Dennis Vacco, will be the Republican candidate.
Early voting for the primaries starts on June 15 and Primary Day is June 25.