The Races to Win in 2019

The time to begin planning is here. We as Democrats must never again let opportunitiy take us by surprise. We need a pool of potential candidates. That pool must include newcomers.

As the leaders of our party in Cornwall it is up to the CDC to recruit and support the talent that will become our next round of elected officials. But is up to you to step up too. 

One way to start is to become engaged. Talk to your neighbors and friends. Encourage everyone to register and vote, especially Democrats. Then make sure you vote too. In every election – school board, Town/Village, primary elections (yes, all of the contested primaries), general elections in off-years as well as in mid-term and Presidential years. Attend our meetings. You don’t have to be one of the 28 voting members of the CDC to contribute ideas, or to run for office.

There are seven races in the Town of Cornwall in 2019: Town Supervisor, three seats on the Town Council, Town Clerk, Receiver of Taxes and Town Justice. In recent elections the Town Clerk, Receiver of Taxes and Town Justice were unopposed by a Democratic challenger. This will change in 2019.

Village elections in Cornwall on Hudson will be held in March. While non-partisan in Democrat vs. Republican terms the CDC can endorse and support candidates.

Then there is 2020 which, in electoral terms, is not as far off as it seems.

The CDC is about more than getting democrats elected too. We’re also about values and doing good work in the community. Remember that “All politics is local”. Let us know what you think is important. What  motivates your better instincts. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cornwalldems/ and let us know. You can also contact the Editor of the Cornwall Democrat, Michael Kochler at m.kochler@yahoo.com. 

The CDC Resolves to Keep the Initiative in 2019!

By Michael Kochler

“The Cornwall republican organization now fears us, and with good reason.”  —Jon Chase, Chaiman of the Cornwall Democratic Committee.

A new year beckons and the work of your Cornwall Democratic Committee continues. 2018 ends on a high note with Democrats nationally making historic strides forward. Locally Cornwall led all Orange County towns in voter turnout with Democrats outperforming Republican voters for the first time ever. There is much to do in 2019.

One of the biggest lessons learned was the importance of the ground-game and how to run it. Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and the current President’s 2016 effort clearly demonstrated that a dedicated team putting devoted partisan boots on the ground, in every district, can pay divedends on Election Day. When Hilary Clinton’s campaign ignored that lesson the results were catastrophic for the nation.

In James Skoufis’ successful run to turn the 39th Senate District Democratic for the first time in living memory over 100,000 doors were knocked on. 

Matt Rettig’s campaign for the 99th Assembly District, while not as successful, saw a little known candidate with a late start (thanks to clever Republican maneuvering) run a tight race against a much better known candidate with a massive organization behind him. Again it was volunteer boots-on-the-ground (and Matt’s bicycle tour of the district) that made it close by delivering his message.

Matt now says that going forward we have no excuses. We have learned how to campaign. We have laid the foundation. We are organized and the momentum has shifted in our favor. Now we run to win.

A Note from Our Chairman: Endorsement Meeting in February

By Jon Chase

BREAKING NEWS FOR CORNWALL MEMBERS AND CANDIDATES!
The NY political calendar is moving under our feet! We heard from Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson at Tuesday evening's OCDC meeting that election law reform is at the TOP of the list of legislative action as the legislative session begins this week.

For our purposes, the consolidation of primary dates likely will move our state primary up to a June date. That means, of course, that everything related to candidate selection moves up; the best estimate we now have for that calendar is the "Federal" primary schedule from 2018, the link to which I'll post below.

NYT: Early Voting and Other Election Reforms Coming to New York

Democrats Take the House and NY State Senate

A Bright Blue Wave Washed over America November 6

By Michael Kochler

As a record number of voters turned out for the long-awaited mid-term elections. It was the first mid-term to top 100-million votes nationwide.

Nationally the Dems flipped the House of Representatives and then some, picking up 40 seats as of press-time. Two of the flipped seats are in our own backyard as John Faso (NY 19) and Claudia Tenney (NY 22) fell to Antonio Delgado and Anthony Brindisi respectively. The new majority brings a diverse flavor to the hallowed halls of Congress. The incoming Democrats are, as a group, younger with more women and people of color then Capitol Hill has seen before. There will be Moslem, Native American and openly LGBTQ representatives come January.

In the Senate, where there had been concern over a red wave, the damage was confined to a net loss of two seats.

Locally Assemblymember James Skoufis was victorious in his bid for the 39th Senate District seat long held by William Larkin. In the 42nd Senate District covering the western part of Orange County and Sullivan County Jen Metzger pulled off an upset victory over longtime Republican stalwart Annie Rabbitt for the seat being vacated by retiring John Bonacic. This marks the first time in memory that Orange County will be represented in the New York State Senate exclusively by Democrats. The implications are tremendous.

The news from the 99th Assembly District was, however, the sole damper on local election night festivities as first-time candidate Matt Rettig lost in his effort to keep the seat that James Skoufis held in Democratic hands. His opponent was making his third bid for the seat and had an earlier start on the campaign.

An overlooked but highly significant result on the national level was the election of Democrats to seven governorships that had previously been held by Republicans without losing a contested seat. The Republicans managed to add one governorship at the expense of an Independent.

The Democrats have the momentum. It’s up to each of us to keep it going!

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.

The Campaign for Our Future

By Jessica Wu

The beginning of this month saw what was one of the most exciting midterm elections in a very long time— certain the most exciting I’ve seen thus far in my own lifetime. Though the results of the election were not unanimously thrilling, there were absolutely several things to celebrate. To name a couple, it was incredibly motivating to see Skoufis, the first candidate I’ve ever campaigned for, emerge victorious against a block vote and Delgado take Faso’s seat.

Beyond these local victories, however, there was undeniably a national ripple across the demographic most personal to me: youth. Thirty-one percent of the youth base turned out to vote, up ten points from the 2014 midterms. Granted, we clearly still have a long way to go, but this change deserves adequate recognition.

These midterms were different for us. College campuses pushed voter registration like never before, and social media enabled us to access news at the tap of a button (for better or worse). This time around, we’ve got skin in the game. We haven’t forgotten the critical movement that followed after Parkland, the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+, gender, and racial equality, and, of course, the erratic man in the White House who’s still got two more years there. It’s our future that’s being shaped right now, and it only makes sense that we have a say in it.

Someone suggested to me last week that perhaps the apathy of youth is justified; we don’t have the lobbying power of corporate adults. Why would politicians prioritize our needs over theirs? It’s hard to argue with that. But Millennials are projected to surpass the Baby Boomers as the largest living adult generation by next year, with Gen X not too far behind— which means we have power at the polls, if we so choose. The harnessing of that undeniably begins in places like the Cornwall Young Democrats. 

We’ve got another upper hand too: passion. Coming of age during a political era that is so divided and new is admittedly scary, but in all truth, it is fire that drives fire. It is passion that drives passion, something I’ve experienced firsthand. We can keep the momentum driving ever-forward, but only if we’re willing to step up and turn those passions into action.

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.”

Democrats Unite for Tax Protest

When it was found that the Republican controlled Town of New Windsor government had called for a 9.7% increase in property taxes, local Democratic committees stepped up to the plate. 

The Cornwall Democrats joined with our brothers and sisters of the New Windsor Democratic Committee to call attention to this outrage. Rallies were held in front of New Windsor Town Hall on 20 and November 3.    

The Town eventually rolled back the increase. 

October 2018: Cornwall Dems in the Community

Cleaning Up History

Five local Democrats removed trash, weeds and debris from a Washington's headquarters site on a September Sunday at dawn. The River Road site in New Windsor was the scene of the Washington/Hamilton argument dramatized in "Meet Me Inside" from Hamilton the Musical.

Cleaning Your Streets

In July, 17 volunteers joined the Cornwall Democratic Committee’s first annual street cleanup. The group retrieved approximately 30 pounds of litter along Idlewild Creek / Canterbury Brook and Continental Avenue.

A Head Start

For the first time in recent memory, the Cornwall Democratic Committee this year awarded a scholarship. Charles Hurley, a CCHS graduating senior with aspirations for hospitality management, received the new award based on volunteer activities, academic history, and a clear-eyed focus on career ambitions. The $500 award was announced at the high school.  

Floating for Liberty

This year’s Democratic Committee July 4 float celebrated the Statue of Liberty, with a home-made replica torch and banners proclaiming Emma Lazarus’s famous call: Bring me your tired, your poor / your huddled masses yearning to be free!

October 23, 2018: Campaigns ready for final push

Watch for a man on bicycle peddling through your neighborhood. It might be Democratic Assembly candidate and avid cyclist Mark Rettig knocking on doors in his effort to meet as many voters in the 99th Assembly District as he can before Election Day. Matt says it’s a quicker way to get around the district that includes Chester and Wawayanda as well as Cornwall and neighboring New Windsor along with Stony Point in Rockland County and five other Orange County towns.

Meanwhile you’ll find Assemblyman and State Senate candidate James Skoufis knocking on doors too, minus the bike.

Both candidates are making the rounds of Meet & Greets, public forums and any other opportunity to meet voters.

Walk into the shared headquarters in the Price Chopper plaza, right next to Brett's True Value, and you’ll find it buzzing with activity. David and Tyler will offer a warm greeting and offer you a chance to volunteer or pick up some lawn signs and buttons. If it’s Tuesday evening it must be Phone Banking for Matt. 

Most evenings and every weekend you’ll see – and hopefully join – the groups of enthusiastic supporters getting their turf assignments for the day’s canvass or making phone calls. 

When you stop in say hello to Justyn, Callie, Brittany and Sean. Unless they’re out canvassing too.

The best way to keep up with the fast pace of the campaigns is to like and follow the Facebook pages of each campaign: www.facebook.com/RettigForAssembly/  and www.facebook.com/JamesSkoufis/ . 

To volunteer you can reach out to Amy Bandolik, Volunteer Coordinator or Michael Kochler, Phone Bank Coordinator. They’d love to hear from you! 

VOTE FOR CHANGE VOTE DEMOCRATIC

September 2018: An update from Rettig for Assembly

By Justyn T.

It's been a great month for the Matt Rettig campaign. Our volunteers have knocked on thousands doors and made even more phone calls, including 700 calls on Tuesday night alone. We have direct mail hitting close to twice a week and our opponent is making strategic mis-steps left and right. From Colin Schmitt's callous decision to accept thousands of dollars in campaign funds from Verla International, a corporation whose recklessness led to hundreds of injuries and a man's death, to the Town of New Windsor's proposal to raise taxes by almost 10%, our campaign is holding our opponent's feet to the fire for every mistake he makes. It all boils down to a simple statement: Matt Rettig has the message he needs to win. Voters support Matt's message, we need to make sure those voters turn out.

 This is not the time to take our foot off the gas. We need to mobilize every single one of our supporters to go door-to-door, make phone calls, send letters, drive voters to the polls, everything that can get our voters into the polling place on November 6th. It's time for all hands on deck, the Matt Rettig campaign is going into Election Day strong and we need each of you to be a part of it.

September 2018: Cornwall Democrats Get Fired Up

On SaturdaySeptember 15, 2018 the Cornwall Democratic Committee held its Second Annual Fired Up fundraiser. Wood-fired artisinal pizzas, amazing desserts, live music, a silent auction, raffles and inspiring speeches drew a crowd of ninty-nine democrats and their friends from all parties to a beautiful Mountain Road location.

CDC Chairman Jon Chase opened the ceremonies and introduced Assemblymember and senate candidate James Skoufis and Matt Rettig, candiate for the 99th Assembly District. CDC member AmyBandolik and Young Democrat Callie Noland rallied the enthusiastic crowd.

In an auspicious coincidence the event was attended by 99 guests – 99 is the assembly district that James currently holds and Matt is running for. It’s critical that we keep the seat in Democratic hands.

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

September 2018: Skoufis and Rettig Rally for Child Victims Act

Who is the Republican-controlled Senate Protecting?

On Thursday, August 30, 2018, Assemblyman and state senate candidate James Skoufis, assembly candidate Mark Rettig, Orange County Legislator and former republican senate candidate Mike Anagnostakis, survivor Gary Greenberg and area activists held a rally in Cornwall’s Donahue Park for The Child Victims Act. The bill would extend the statute of limitations for criminal charges and civil suits against perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse. Currently survivors have until their 23rd birthday to report such abuse. The bill, passed by large bi-partisan majorities in the New York State Assembly during the last two sessions, would allow criminal prosecution until the survivor is 28 and civil cases until the age of 50.

Many survivors of these heinous acts are not able, for reasons that may include fear of reprisal, humiliation and trauma, to talk about it let alone report it to the authorities for years after. 

For reasons that are not as clear the Republican-controlled state senate has killed the bill without ever bringing it to the floor for a vote. James Skoufis and Matt Rettig vow to continue to fight for the Child Victims Act in January should they win seats in the Senate and Assembly, respectively.

September 2018: The Wave We’ve Been Waiting For

By Callie Noland

At most democratic fundraisers, events, and, let’s face it, elections, young people are worryingly scarce. But no longer- The Young Democrats of Cornwall are here, and we plan to take President Obama’s advice to “show up, dive in, and stay at it.”

We will be meeting regularly to discuss ways that young people in Cornwall can learn about our systems of government, engage with our representatives, organize around issues that matter to us, and support candidates who will carry our interests forward.

Our group will focus on empowerment through engagement. We will create an environment where people can come to learn, and to find out what can be done- whether that be writing letters to representatives, creating a petition, organizing an event, or volunteering.

Get ready folks. The Youth are coming.