After everyone had a chance to read the article in today's paper on the city Democrat's plan to present a solid front ahead of this year's race, I've heard a mix of reactions.

One politically-aligned person within City Hall said: "After reading your headline I had to razz you a bit because I didn't realize you were writing fiction now."

I agree that it remains to be seen whether or not the Democrats can peacefully put together a slate of candidates ahead of the early-June process of collecting petition signatures begins. From where I'm sitting, it appears to all hinge on Commissioner of Accounts John Franck.

Way back in January, Franck told me that he planned to seek re-election, and that although he hoped to receive the Democrat's endorsement, he indicated that he'd be ready to seek election even without it. Franck was re-elected to his current term in 2007 after running un-opposed.

Things for the Democrats have been a little dicey since last September, when the Democrats for Change, a group associated with former Mayor Valerie Keehn and Commissioner of Public Safety Ron Kim, successfully took control of the city party, gaining a majority over the United Democrats, a group associated with former Commissioner of Public Works Thomas McTygue, and Franck to a lesser extent.

Now, according to murmurs coming my way from various channels, the city committee is wrestling with a way to endorse some of their incumbents (Kim, Yepsen), but not others (Franck), who they see as voting with his Republican colleagues on the City Council more often than they would like him to.

At play is the understandable desire on the part of the Democrats to avoid a repeat of 2007, when Keehn and McTygue successfully campaigned each other straight out of office. But, it wouldn't look to good if the Democrats did wind up having a primary for the Accounts office, but not running a candidate for Public Works.

What?

Yes, with Commissioner of Public Works Skip Scirocco, a Republican, voting with Kim on most issues, the Dems are reportedly considering not running anyone against him. The GOP has already announced that they will back their incumbants, including Scirocco.

Some Democrats have been touting the idea that the process to determine a slate of candidates in the city should process used to select Scott Murphy to run for Congress. As such, they have made an open call to anyone interested in running for office, and will not endorse anyone until after interviewing everyone who comes forward.

There's one hole in the logic there that I can see: There was no Democratic incumbant in the 20th Congressional District when Murphy ran. Back in 2008 you didn't see the chairs of the ten counties in the 20th CD lining up and calling for open interviews to see who wanted to primary Kirsten Gillibrand. Why would they have wanted to do that? Doing so would only have delayed the start of her campaign, or possible wasted the cache held by a well-liked politician.

One person told me that Larry Bulman (who didn't return my phone call today), was accused of acting like Boss Tweed at Satruday's meeting, arguing with the party not to waste time in endorsing their incumbants. But even Bulman, chair of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee, is an outsider in Saratoga Springs. Here in the city, Dems just don't like to get along.

Others have suggested that the party shouldn't make any endorsements until after a primary election. That might work, but it could leave candidates without their party's full support and delay the start of their real campaigns while you know the politicos across the aisle will be in full swing by summer.

So, if you take off the rose-colored glasses, maybe things are business as usual over with the City Democrats. Or maybe they'll surprise us all.

In other news, McTygue recently sold his Clinton Street home for $270,000. The Commissioner has maintained a residence in the Town of Saratoga for some time, but kept his Saratoga Springs property, allowing him to run for office in the city .

I am planning on writing about the city Republican Party, and have scheduled an interview with chairman John Herrick for tomorrow. Don't worry, we plan to give both sides equal coverage.