Matt Rettig Shares His Thoughts on a Race Well Run

Following is Matt Rettig’s statement to the Orange County Democratic Committee:

I'm proud of the campaign we ran, and it couldn't have happened without the efforts of the people in this room, and I'll always be grateful for that. I am now as I was back in June: a concerned citizen dreading the thought of two years under an incompetent, ineffective Assemblyman who, frankly, doesn't share our values. I'm just like I was back in June, that is, EXCEPT to say that Dyanna and I have made relationships with amazing people doing amazing work all throughout Orange County and our urge to serve our community has only been stoked by meeting so many heroes. So whether it's me or another proud Democrat taking back this seat in two years, I hope my campaign laid the groundwork for us to realize what is possible even in areas we were told were "hopeless" or "solidly red." 

We Democrats are on the right side of the issues, and on the right side of history. We need only to tell our story and people will see that government can--and must--work for ALL of us. I can look forward to carrying on this work with you, and Dyanna and I thank you all once again for your efforts.

Two Cornwall Dems Among New Leaders of Orange County Democrats

After the primary in every “even” year, Democrats in Orange County “reorganize” by electing new leadership.  At the convention in Wallkill on September 25, 2018, Orange County Democratic Committee members elected the following leadership team, including Virginia Scott and Jon Chase of Cornwall:

• Chair: Brett Broge, Esq., of Blooming Grove

• First Vice-Chair: Christine Stage, Esq., of Warwick

• Vice Chairs:

  • Virginia Scott, of Cornwall

  • Terri Blancato-Horton, of Town of Newburgh

  • Willa Freiband, of Woodbury

  • Faheem Haider, of Montgomery

  • Bryan Luna, of City of Newburgh

  • Efrain Serrano, of Monroe

• Secretary: Louise Vandemark, of Deerpark

• Treasurer: John Galu, of Middletown

• Ass’t Treas.: Patricia McMillan, of Warwick

• Sgt at Arms: Jonathan Chase, Esq., of Cornwall

The new leadership team will be working on a couple major new goals, including upgrading OCDC’s data and communications capabilities and working on a platform statement of issues for which the Democratic Party stands in Orange County.  Ginny Scott, a Cornwall native and teacher in Washingtonville, has been an active member of the Cornwall Democratic Committee since January 2017, and ran a vigorous race for Orange County Legislature District 12 last year.  Jon Chase is a local attorney who has been doing pro bono voting rights work in multiple states since 2004, has been active in the Cornwall and Orange County Democratic Committees since 2007,was CDC’s Secretary from 2008-14 and has been its Chair since 2014.

Commenting on the county officers from Cornwall, CDC Chair Jon Chase noted, “It’s both recognition and reflection of the new dynamism in the Cornwall Democratic Committee that two of its members have been elected to the leadership of the OCDC.  As our elections two weeks ago showed so dramatically, Democrats in Orange County are back in a big way, and it’s because our party stands for the values we all hold, not for the greed, bigotry and inhumanity which we too often see in today’s politics.”

A Word from our Chairman

By Jon Chase, CDC Chairman
We represent the Democratic Party in the Town of Cornwall.  Our members are chosen every two years by Democratic voters in Cornwall’s 14 Election Districts, and we represent those voters on the Orange County Democratic Committee, in addition to facilitating Democratic Party functions in our Town.  

• Some of the things we do include:

• assisting residents with voter registration;

• petitioning to get our candidates for public office on the ballot; 

• recruiting, assisting and serving as Election Inspectors for our Party; 

• recruiting, training and serving as Democratic poll-watchers on Election Day; 

• assisting our Party’s candidates in communicating with our voters; and

• assisting our voters in communicating with candidates and elected officials.

WE ARE ADVOCATES FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT.  We believe that includes being watchdogs over our tax dollars, guardians of community resources and our environment, stewards of historical traditions and assets, and promoters of our local economy.

WE ARE PROUD OF the work our candidates have done since their election in 2015 and 2017 to restore the Sands-Ring homestead, to enact needed zoning controls for the undeveloped land in Cornwall, to update the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, to update and invest in the Town’s sewage-treatment facility, and generally to protect Cornwall’s traditions, values and environment, while doing it all openly and transparently and always considering the cost to the taxpayers.

YOU CAN HELP OUR WORK BY :

• liking our “Cornwall Democratic Committee” Facebook page;

• adding your email address to our distribution list;

• making a donation to the “Cornwall Democratic Committee”;

• attending our meetings and sharing your ideas;

• working on some of our many party projects and events;

• supporting our candidates; and

• VOTING IN EVERY ELECTION!

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST!  WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO MAKE CORNWALL AND ORANGE COUNTY EVEN BETTER!

Democratically yours,
Your Cornwall Democratic Committee