Sign squabble, 'monkey' post show rancor in District 6 Senate race

District 6 incumbent Jim Gray and challenger Chris Rice during Zoom Candiate's Forum on Monday night. (Facbook Live screen captures)

ROCHESTER - The gloves officially came on in the District 6 Senate Race during Monday night's Candidates Forum as incumbent Republican Jim Gray and Democrat challenger Chris Rice traded barbs over political signs, and Gray demanded his opponent take down a social media post that referred to him as a "monkey."

The Candidate's Forum, presented by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and held viz Zoom, ran two and a half hours and had its share of technical glitches but in the end presented voters with a stark contrast between the two, who remained feisty combatants throughout the evening.

The exchanges became most contentious after Gray asked Rice to pledge "to follow the election laws, and the filing of financial reports that can be read on his website," and to follow the city's ordinance for political signs.

"The compliance officer is getting a lot of call about the signs, where they are placed," Gray said.

Rice replied he had personally supplied Gray with a copy of his financials, but Gray added it was unreadable.

Rice also said he had seen some of Gray's election signs at public intersections.

Gray then said he would be happy to take down any signs if Rice finds them placed illegally, but added that the Rice political signs he told his opponent about have still not been taken down.

Rice countered that he hasn't called on Gray to take down any signs because "I think the sign ordinance should be taken off the books."

Gray said the Facebook post referring to him as a "monkey" was highly offensive and should be taken down immediately.

"The remark on his finance person's website refers to my service as a monkey, and I know that could be a derogatory term," Gray said. "The negative things in the Rice campaign need to stop."

Gray made the comment in his closing remarks so Rice had no chance to respond.