Albany mayoral candidate Dan Cerutti addresses supporters after the Democratic primary on June 24, during a gathering at Martel’s Restaurant.

Like many of us, Dan Cerutti was surprised by the results of Albany’s mayoral Democratic primary. Heading into Tuesday, Cerutti had seen polls, he told me a few days after, showing him with more than a decent chance of winning.

Turns out, they were a touch off. The winning candidate, City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs, nearly doubled Cerutti’s vote total, garnering 52% to his 28%. The size of the margin was astonishing, even to Applyrs. What happened?

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When I talked to Cerutti, who is 66, he was still absorbing the loss, its causes and the end of a race that had consumed his energy and attention. It was all a little raw. He had some thinking to do. He was, as he put it, “sort of getting my life back.”

Notably, Cerutti did not rule out an independent write-in campaign challenging Applyrs and Republican Rocco Pezzulo in the November general election. Yes, such a campaign would be a long shot, he said, but he’d........

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