Republicans have continued a years-long trend of having nobody to run for town office.
Outnumbered 3-1, the local GOP last ran candidates in 2015. That year, incumbent Jeremy Wilber trounced Republican challenger Nancy Schauffler in his re-election bid for supervisor. Councilman Ken Panza, who lost the Democratic primary and ran as a Republican also fell short, as did Republican Janine Fallon-Mower in her bid for town board.
In the recent past, the Republicans have either picked up candidates who lost the Democratic primary or opted to cross-endorse candidates for town-wide offices when the committee held its caucus later.
But Woodstock Republicans have not held a caucus since being overwhelmingly defeated in 2015.
This year, though no town-wide office candidates face opposition, Republican Joan F. Paccione and Working Families Party candidate William B. McKnight are running for Ulster County Legislature District 23, a seat now held by Democratic Majority Leader Jonathan Heppner of Woodstock. This is the first time Heppner has faced opposition.
In town races, incumbent Supervisor Bill McKenna is running unopposed as well as incumbent Justice Richard Husted. Deputy Supervisor Maria-Elena Conte faces no challenger for her first elected spot on the town board and the same with town board newcomer Bennet Ratcliff. Retiring from the town board are Richard Heppner and Lorin Rose, both charter members of the Geezer squad, gentlemen past basketball age who nonetheless carry out helpful projects in the town on a volunteer basis.
Scott Bonestell, who was recently appointed Highway Superintendent to replace Mike Reynolds, faces no challenge for his first elected term, as he runs on the Democratic line.
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