Cornwall Democrats put feet on the street in Port Jervis and Hudson with the Women’s March on Saturday, January 19, while Democrats and our allies marched around the country and around the world to stand up for liberty and justice for all.
The Cornwall Democratic Committee Resolves for 2019…
To knock on the door of every registered Democrat in the Town of Cornwall
To learn more about what Democratic voters in the Town of Cornwall find important
To register new voters and increase the number of registered Democrats in the Town of Cornwall
To encourage every Democrat in the Town of Cornwall to vote Democrat
To recruit volunteers for Democratic campaigns
To encourage young people in the Town of Cornwall to become engaged
To identify and encourage new and aspiring Democratic Candidates
To challenge every incumbant Republican in the Town of Cornwall elections in 2019
To run to WIN
To uphold the ideals and values that define the Democratic Party and fight for the Founding Fathers’ vision of an America that stands for Liberty and justice FOR ALL in 2019 and beyond!
The Young Democrats Space
By Michael Kochler
This month’s column was not written by one of the Cornwall Young Democrats due to scheduling problems (the result of a late deadline by this publication’s editor) but by this publication’s editor.
I have the pleasure, indeed honor, to be a liason and mentor for this group of amazing young ladies and men. Together they are educating and organizing their fellows. They are in fact the future of our community – and the communities they will spend time in - as they take their place among the leaders of society.
Galvanized by the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and the March for Our Lives a number of students organized an event at Cornwall Central High School. This led to the formation of the Cornwall young Democrats.
The Cornwall young Democrats have identified the following goals: Advocating for affordable education and equal access to a quality education for all; Bringing an end to gun violence; Protecting the future of the environment; Raising awareness among their peers; Educating their peers about the electoral process; Protecting and expanding women's rights; and Promoting active participation in the political process at all levels.
I for one feel heartened by their involvement.
Thanks to Jessica Wu and Katie Skoog for their contributions to this month’s column.
Cornwall Leads Orange County in Voter Turnout
Cornwall has many charms that draw residents here from near and far and keeps many natives from leaving – at least permanently. Whether it’s the schools; the scenery or the proximity to NYC, West Point and the Catskills that brought/keeps us here Cornwall’s citizens are passionate about our town.
That passion was manifested in the highest voter turnout rate in Orange County this past November 6. What’s more is that the rate at which Cornwall Democrats came to the polls was higher than the combined rate of the town’s registered Republicans and Conservatives combined (70.9% to 69.4%). It’s a small but significant edge.
It’s significant in that this is the first time Cornwall Democrats proved to be more motivated than our GOP counterparts. This is the town that has historically left nearly half of the elected positions go uncontested because it was taken for granted that Republicans had a lock on Cornwall government, in spite of our Town having elected a Democratic Supervisor.
A more comprehensive assessment of the election results and their implications from the CDC’s Data Subcommittee will appear in the January edition.
There's Still Time to Run in Village Election
Interested in serving as Village Trustee or Mayor in Cornwall on Hudson? The election for Mayor and two Village Trustee seats is coming up March 19, 2019, but if you’re planning on being a candidate, you’ll need to pick up a set of nominating petitions from the Village Clerk ASAP--the petitioning period begins January 2!
Running for re-election this year will be Mayor Brendan Coyne, Trustee Mark Edsall and Trustee David Carnright. All terms are for two years.
To be eligible to run, a candidate must be 18 years old, a Village resident for at least 30 days, and be a registered voter. Candidates must obtain 75 signatures from Village residents who are registered voters. The time for circulating petitions is coming up fast – petitioning begins January 2 and runs through February 13, 2019. Completed petitions may be filed with the Village Clerk between February 5 and February 13, 2019.
Village elections often take place under the radar, with very little notice. Running for these positions is a great opportunity for Democrats in our community to get a good grounding in municipal governance.
Interested in running and need more information? Contact Cornwall Democratic Committee Chair, Jon Chase, or Committee Vice Chair Bill Braine. But don’t delay! Nominating petitions are available from Village Clerk Jeanne Mahoney, contact 534-4200, X310.
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