FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Media Contact Information:

Sarah Meredith & Greg Bucking

communications.scdc@gmail.com
www.schohariedemocrats.org

Pat Ryan and Matt Castelli won their election contests last night. Both men had spent time meeting and speaking with voters in Schoharie County, answering questions at the Green Wolf Brewery in Middleburgh, interacting with people they hoped to represent. Ryan now heads to Congress in Washington, DC as the representative of District 19 in its present form, and will serve until December 31st in that capacity, filling the seat vacated by Antonio Delgado. Castelli won the primary in District 21 against Matt Putorti, and will now face off in November with Elise Stefanik, who denies the validity of the last presidential election. District 21 will include Schoharie County as of January 1, 2023.

Castelli, former Director for Counterintelligence at the National Security Council under both Presidents Obama and Trump, is no stranger to challenge. He was part of the CIA team that collected intelligence in Iraq and Afghanistan leading to the disruption of Al Qaeda and ISIS. Stefanik is currently chair of the House Republican Caucus with an eye on a national role in the Republican Party. She has voted consistently with the Republican minority, rarely breaking ranks even when the legislation would benefit the people in her district. Castelli, a pragmatic problem solver who has a keen sense of the fragility of democracy,  jumped into this fraught political moment to protect American rights and freedoms and to uphold the provisions in the Constitution for everyone. His slogan, “Country over Party,” represents his interest in supporting the people of the District when it comes to economic growth in clean energy industries, expanding health care access for women, services for veterans, and bringing the area block grants that will assist farmers and upgrade infrastructure. 

Many in the national political scene were watching the Ryan-Molinaro contest as an indicator of the voter temperament in this heated mid-term election cycle. Ryan, a veteran and County Executive of Ulster County, emphasized the key issues of people’s rights to the full scope of reproductive health care including abortion services and the necessity of an assault weapon ban to keep our communities safe. 

Due to the complex and convoluted redistricting process here in New York, both men ran in this unusual second election of the summer. Turnout in the midst of August was key and efforts were made by local groups and national get-out-the-vote organizations to inform voters in our community, many of whom were unaware of the change in congressional district for all Schoharie County residents, and the Special Election in tandem with a primary.

For more information: patryanforcongress.com and castelliforcongress.com