Troy Conventional wisdom has it that Andrea Smyth doesn't have a snowball's chance in a very hot place of beating Steve McLaughlin in the race for Rensselaer County executive. Few people have heard of her, and Democrats typically have a difficult time winning in a county still considered a GOP stronghold. In fact, there has never been a Democrat elected to the county's executive job. But for two reasons, the race could be closer than people expect. One, it isn't clear if the Republican Party establishment will back McLaughlin's campaign.