OGDENSBURG - A former St. Lawrence County Public Defender officially launched her campaign Tuesday to become the county’s next prosecutor.

While formally announcing her bid for district attorney Tuesday at The Place, 1612 Ford St., Ogdensburg, Mary E. Rain, a Republican, highlighted the differences between her goals for the office and the record of two-term Democratic incumbent Nicole M. Duvé.

“This prosecutor has seen a lot of dismissals, especially for speedy trials,” she said. “It’s so something that shouldn’t be happening. It’s so simple.”

Case dismissals have led to an increase in repeat offenders and number of violent and drug felony crimes in the county, she charged.

Ms. Rain, 50, is a graduate of SUNY Oswego and the Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University. She has worked as a police officer and an assistant district attorney in Oswego, Monroe, Cortland and Jefferson counties and has maintained a private practice.

Ms. Rain said her record as assistant district attorney stands alone.

“As an assistant D.A. in Oswego, my first 25 cases resulted in convictions,” she said. “I am not sure my opponent has seen the court room that many times.”

Ms. Rain said she plans to attend in the county’s weekly Drug Task Force meetings, which will also help build “cohesion” between the district attorney’s office and local law enforcement to increase the number of felony convictions.

“The police do an excellent job,” she said. “But they can’t also be expected to be prosecutors.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Duvé, who was unavailable for comment Tuesday, has said she plans to formally announce her plans to seek a third term in the near future.

Ms. Duvé, 47, is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam and Albany Law School of Union University. She has practiced law since 1991 and has worked as an assistant district attorney and assistant public defender as well as court attorney for Franklin County Judge Robert G. Main Jr., Malone.

She was a Potsdam town justice from November 1998 until 2005, when she resigned to run for district attorney.

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