Congress
District 19
Incumbent: John Faso (Republican)
Challengers: Antonio Delgado (Democrat), Steve Greenfield (Green), Diane Neal (Independent).
A closely watched race because Faso, first elected in 2016, is considered vulnerable. If a “blue wave” happens and the House flips to Democratic control, it will probably include this seat.
Faso, originally from Long Island, moved to Kinderhook and served in the State Assembly for 15 years (four of them as minority leader) before running unsuccessfully for governor and comptroller. When not in government, he’s worked as an attorney, lobbyist and consultant.
Antonio Delgado, also an attorney, is running neck and neck with Faso in the polls. Originally from Schenectady and recently of New Jersey, he moved to Rhinebeck in 2017. He emerged from a large field of Democratic primary contenders with the most funding, the endorsement of Citizen Action (a prominent progressive group), and relatively moderate positions on issues like health care.
Serious third-party challenges are being mounted by Steve Greenfield of New Paltz and Diane Neal of Hurley. Greenfield is a musician, social media gadfly, WKNY commentator, volunteer firefighter and former New Paltz School Board member. Neal is a television actress who has starred in the crime procedurals “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “NCIS.”
Congressional District 18
Incumbent: Sean Patrick Maloney (Democrat)
Challenger: James O’Donnell (Republican)
Sean Patrick Maloney, fresh off an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nod for state attorney general, will defend his seat against Orange County legislator James O’Donnell. Maloney was elected in 2012, defeating Republican Nan Hayworth and then defending the seat in a close rematch against her in 2014. In 2016, he defeated Republican Phil Oliva with 55 percent of the vote. Prior to holding elected office, he worked for President Bill Clinton and Gov. Eliot Spitzer, and was an attorney and as an executive at a software company.
James O’Donnell has a long career in law enforcement, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the New York State Police and, after that, heading the MTA Police for five years, before becoming a deputy county executive under Ed Diana in 2005. He was elected to the county legislature in 2016.
State Senate races
All 63 state senate seats are up for election this November. Currently, Democrats outnumber Republicans 33-32, but Republicans have effective control because state Sen. Simcha Felder caucuses with the Republicans. If Democrats can pick up a seat, they could take back control of the senate and, in theory, pass several pieces of progressive legislation that have been passed in the overwhelmingly Democratic Senate but thwarted in the Assembly, including one that would create a single-payer health care system. With Democratic enthusiasm high and several retirements of long-serving Republicans (including John Bonacic and William Larkin in our neck of the woods), the party has reason for optimism.
District 42
Incumbent: John Bonacic (Republican)(Retiring)
Candidates: Jen Metzger (Democrat) and Annie Rabbitt (Republican)
After being represented for 20 years by John Bonacic (R-Mount Hope), the 42nd Senate District is up for grabs. Rosendale Councilwoman Jen Metzger, a Democrat, will face off against Orange County Clerk Annie Rabbitt, a Republican.
Rabbitt, a former assemblywoman, is serving her second term as Orange County clerk. She said she’ll focus on helping small businesses if elected. Metzger is perhaps best-known regionally as the founder/director of Citizens for Local Power, a local not-for-profit organization that serves as a local utility watchdog and advocates for a locally based clean-energy economy.
District 46
Incumbent: George Amedore (Republican)
Challenger: Patricia Strong (Democrat)
The Times-Union sums up the race this way: “Two-term incumbent George Amedore, a Rotterdam Republican, is running as a loyal foot soldier in the opposition to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the Democratic controlled state Assembly. Kingston Democrat Pat Strong is countering with the hope of furthering progressive policies stymied by the Republican majority in the state Senate.”
Amedore, of Rotterdam, was elected to the state senate in 2014. He previously served in the assembly from 2007-12 and worked in his family’s home-building company, Amedore Homes.
Patricia Strong, an Ulster County resident, is a businesswoman who has worked as a contractor to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, “helping upstate homeowners, local governments and businesses access resources to make their buildings more energy efficient and more affordable.”
Read more in our story, Kingston’s Strong challenging Amedore in the 46th.
District 39
Incumbent: William Larkin (retiring)
Candidates: James Skoufis (Democrat) and Tom Basile (Republican)
Skoufis, of Woodbury, is currently the assemblyman from the 99th district. He was elected to that seat in 2012.
Tom Basile is a councilman in Stony Point. He runs a strategic communications company.
More on the candidates on lohud.com.
District 51
Incumbent: James Seward (Republican)
Challenger: Joyce St. George (Democrat)
Seward, of Milford, has been a state senator since 1987. He was formerly head of the Otsego County Republican Committee, Milford town justice, and worked on the legislative staff of several lawmakers. He is currently vice chairman of the Republican Conference.
St. George, of New Kingston, and her husband own and operate Pact Training, which conducts workshops on crisis and conflict management for police departments, government agencies and major corporations. She was previously a special investigator for the New York Special Prosecutor’s Office for Criminal Justice.
Assembly races
With Democratic control of the State Assembly all but assured, there is less drama to these races than the congressional and state senate contests. Additionally, for our readers in most of Ulster County and northeast Dutchess, there is no contest, as Assemblyman Kevin Cahill has no opponent in the 103rd district.
District 101
Incumbent: Brian Miller (Republican)
Challenger: Chad McEvoy (Democrat)
Incumbent Brian Miller, a mechanical engineer and resident of New Hartford, Oneida County first elected in 2016, will defend his seat against Chad McEvoy, a data analyst and project manager, resident of Westford, Otsego County.
District 102
Incumbent: Chris Tague (Republican)
Challenger: Aidan O’Connor (Democrat)
Voters in the 102nd district will see a rematch of the April 24 special election between Chris Tague and Aidan O’Connor. (That election was called to fill the seat after Pete Lopez left to serve as EPA Region 2 administrator.
Tague is the former town supervisor of Schoharie. He was previously a dairy farmer, foreman at the Schoharie Quarry and the superintendent of Cobleskill Quarry; and most recently, general manager of Cobleskill Stone Products Inc.
O’Connor is a the minority leader of the Greene County Legislature. His career in the field of emergency medical services includes serving as the EMS county coordinator and the president of Greene County Emergency Medical Systems, Inc. He has also been the advocacy coordinator for the National Association of Emergency Technicians and a flight paramedic treating patients in helicopters.
District 104
Incumbent: none
Candidates: Jonathan Jacobson (Democrat) and Scott Manley (Republican)
Two Newburgh elected officials, one from the city the other from the town, will square off to fill the vacancy left by the death of Frank Skartados, a Democrat, in April.
Jonathan Jacobson is a member of the Newburgh City Council. He is an attorney and former assistant to the state attorney genera, former assistant counsel to the speaker of the assembly, former state workers’ compensation judge and long-time chairman of the Orange County Democratic Committee (22 years). He touts that experience. “It’s not enough to be on the right side of the issues,” reads the main tag line on his campaign website. “You must have the background, experience, energy and ideas to be an effective Assembly member on Day One.”
Scott Manley is a councilman in the town of Newburgh and a retired town policeman. He said the late Skartados was adept at working across the aisle, and he’d take a similar approach if elected. According to his website: “In a political climate thick with divisive arguments and polarized opinions, Scott shares values with people from across the political spectrum, ranging from fiscal policy to social rights. Scott is unafraid to show his support for the LGBT+ community, discuss the rights of responsible firearm owners, and explore the issues facing our farmers.”
New York Supreme Court – District III
Three candidates are vying for two seats in Third District of the New York Supreme Court. Read more about the candidates.
Ulster County Redistricting Referendum
Ulster County voters will decide on a referendum to establish an independent redistricting commission to recommend changes to the county legislative districts every 10 years, as needed. The intent is to remove political considerations from the process.
The change is being recommended by the Ulster County Charter Revision Committee and the League of Women Voters. We haven’t heard from anyone who’s against it.
Shall section C-10 of the Ulster County Charter be amended to provide for the creation of an independent Redistricting Commission, designed to exclude political influence in revising county legislative districts, as proposed and unanimously approved by the Ulster County Charter Revision Committee?
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