Sandy Treadwell
Alexander Treadwell is a longtime Republican Party political leader in New York. He is currently New York's National Committeeman on the Republican National Committee. He is known by his nickname, Sandy.
A longtime sports journalist who wrote for Sports Illustrated and a book on marathon running, Treadwell became active in the Republican Party in Essex County. His service included being the chairman of the county's Republican Party and vice chairman of the state Republican Party.
In 1995, Gov. George Pataki named Treadwell as New York Secretary of State. As Secretary, Treadwell was active in reorganizing the Department of State in order to streamline operations. He was also active in local government issues statewide.
In 2001, Pataki appointed Treadwell as the Chairman of the New York Republican Party. In this capacity, Treadwell was active in traveling the state in order to meet with local Republican groups. His tenure saw the 2002 reelection of Pataki and Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue and the nomination of the state's first Latina candidate, Judge Dora Irizarry, who was the 2002 nominee for state attorney general. In 2004, Treadwell was the host state chairman of the Republican National Convention that nominated President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for re-election.
In 2004, Treadwell faced controversy after he recruited Assemblyman Howard Mills as the party's nominee for the U.S. Senate against Senator Chuck Schumer over the would-be primary candidate Michael Benjamin.[1] Benjamin publicly accused Treadwell and Governor George Pataki of trying to muscle him out of the senate race and undermine the democratic process.[1] Mills, who was chosen after numerous candidates turned the nomination down, would go on to lose lose in the largest landslide in state history.
Following the Mills defeat, Treadwell stepped down as state chairman to become national committeeman. In 2006 some speculated that he would challenge Republican Congressman John E. Sweeney for reelection, but he did not file to do so.
In April of 2007, he filed the necessary paperwork to run for Congress to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand who defeated Sweeney in the 2006 election.[2] As of November 2007 he has spent more than $320,000 of his money in the race for New York’s 20th Congressional District.
