The morning after: Walter reconsiders pledge to wage primary against Giglio:
‘I haven’t made up my mind’

Embattled Republican incumbent Supervisor Sean Walter, who following his narrow defeat at last night’s party convention vowed to wage a primary battle to claim the Republican nomination, said this morning he’s reconsidering.

“I don’t want to make any rash decisions,” Walter said in a phone interview.

After his defeat last night by Councilwoman Jodi Giglio, by a 1,687.5 to 1,687 weighted gubernatorial vote cast by 43 of 44 committee members — with one member, Tracy Stark-James abstaining, Walter thanked his supporters but declined the opportunity to address the committee. “I’m saving my comments for a press conference later this week,” he said.

After he left the Polish Hall banquet room as his opponent gave her victory speech, Walter again said he would hold a press conference later in the week.

“I’m putting together a slate of candidates and will be making an announcement later in the week at a press conference,” he said last night, “and I invite Councilman Wooten to attend that press conference.” Wooten, a two term Republican incumbent, also failed to gain his committee’s support.

But this morning, after sleeping on it, Walter took a step back.  He won’t hold any press conference this week, he said.

“I haven’t made any decision one way or the other at this point,” Walter said this morning. “I’m looking to several people for advice.”

One of those people he turns to won’t be his longtime ally and adviser, Anthony Coates, who last night was tapped by Democrats to run for the supervisor’s post.

With Walter’s backing, Coates ran a primary campaign in 2013 in a failed attempt to wrest the Republican party nomination from incumbent Giglio, who was seeking a second four-year term as councilwoman. After a bitterly fought race, Coates polled third in the three-way contest, behind Giglio and her fellow incumbent John Dunleavy.

“I will make a decision by next week,” Walter said this morning.

GOP chairman Mason Haas was surprised this morning when informed by a reporter that the supervisor is undecided about whether to wage a primary.

“I’m surprised because he’s been saying right along he’s going to run a primary,” Haas said.

“I have not had an opportunity to talk to the supervisor yet,” Haas said. “He left last night before I could speak with him and I’d like to sit down and talk to him.”