ALBANY, N.Y. -- "I know this is one of his really big dreams so I think he should go for it," said twelve year old Alexandra Steck.
She stood proudly as she watched her dad announce his candidacy in the race to fill Mike McNulty's Congressional seat.
"This is a little different than running for Albany County Legislator," said Phil Steck. "It's a lot more interesting than being Democratic Chairman."
But it's as Colonie Town Democratic Chairman that he's perhaps best known. The man behind the curtain as his party battled the town's Republican domination.
"This is not easy, we didn't come in there with huge amounts of money, but we had a great effort on the ground," Steck said.
Apparently, it worked.
Albany County Legislator and Colonie Democratic Chairman Phil Steck wants to take over the seat being vacated by Congressman Mike McNulty.
Democrat Paula Mahan will soon be taking a Republican's place as Town Supervisor of Colonie and bringing three other Democrats onto the board with her. Four Democrats on a town board that's been made up of nothing but Republicans since the town was created in 1895.
When asked whether that would have happened without Phil Steck, Mahan said, "No."
Now it seems Steck is riding on the coat tails of those Democratic wins, hoping that the large Albany County voter enrollment will turn him from the man behind the curtain into one very much in front of it.
"I have a lot of friends throughout Albany County as you can see here today," Steck said. "The city of Schenectady has a much smaller voter base than we do so I think, as far as competitiveness; we are in an excellent position."
Schenectady being where, most likely, one or two of his opponents will hail from. Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton says, while the math may be in Steck's favor, Stratton would be the strongest candidate in the race, although he hasn't decided to run yet. And Schenectady County Chairwoman Sue Savage says she'll decide after the New Year whether she'll put her hat in the ring.
Both fully expect a primary. If so, Steck says he can beat them.
"That's what I'm saying," Steck said.
His first order of business if elected?
"We need to end the war in Iraq immediately," Steck said.
A sentiment McNulty supports, although he has yet to endorse anyone. Meanwhile, Alexandra has clearly made her choice - but she won't be following in her father's footsteps anytime soon.
"You leave the politics to Dad?" our reporter asked her.
"Yeah," she said.
After all, this seat comes about once a generation.