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March Newsletter |
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Welcome to March!
March might not mean much to you yet, politically speaking, but your Democratic Committee members are getting ready for the next election cycle.
If a committee member asks you to sign a petition….. read it carefully, be sure that you understand it, and then sign it (if you want to). Candidates for every office in NYS are at the beginning of the petitioning cycle. ‘Petitioning’ is when candidates collect signatures in order to be on the ballot. Since committee members are technically elected to serve on the committee, they have to collect signatures, too. The people who want to serve on the County Democratic Committee need to collect only 10-20 signatures. The candidates for NY21 have asked us to collect at least 200 signatures from registered Democrats in Schoharie County by March 20! If you want to be sure that you sign a petition, come to our Petition Party Meet and Greet at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 20 at the Green Wolf Tap Room, 329 Main St., Middleburgh. Bring a potluck dish or snack to share. |
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Candidates Interviewed |
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The New York State Legislature redrew the congressional district map, as it does every ten years, in a process called redistricting. Schoharie County has been moved to District 21, which is currently represented in Congress by Elise Stefanik. We will no longer be represented by Antonio Delgado. Matt Castelli and Matt Putorti want to run against Ms. Stefanik, but first one of them has to win the primary. The primary is on June 28. Committee member Kristin Williams interviewed them at our last meeting. We decided not to endorse either candidate before the primary. We also interviewed Nicholas Chase, who is running to represent Assembly District 102 in Albany. Nick will be on the November ballot opposing Chris Tague.
Endorsements: We did endorse: New York Governor: Kathy Hochul Lt. Governor: Brian Benjamin Attorney General: Letitia "Tish" James Comptroller: Tom DiNapoli AD 102: Nicholas Chase
Support for Ukraine: We decided to reach out to the Republican Chairman, Chris Tague, to issue a joint statement in support of the Ukrainian people. He has enthusiastically agreed. The press release is being written. Are you interested in getting involved! If you want to be an official member of the committee, contact me right away, as this is the month in which committee members have to collect signatures. I can be reached at 518-872-8122, or at info@schohariedemocrats.org. If you are interested in helping with any of our sub-committees, such as fundraising, social or data, you can also contact me. There is plenty to do, and it is productive and satisfying work.
In solidarity, Theresa |
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District 21 Candidates for Congress |
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Matt Castelli: |
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After the 9/11 attacks, Matt focused his life’s work on protecting our country through counterterrorism and national security. Matt spent nearly 15 years serving our country at the CIA where he led teams hunting down some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists, working in the same department that found Osama bin Laden, and driving counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. He then served as Director for Counterterrorism in the Obama and Trump White Houses at the National Security Council. After the White House, Matt returned to the CIA to work at the intersection of public-private partnerships. In 2020, as the world faced a devastating pandemic, Matt pivoted from his work in national security to join the fight, taking on a leadership position with a veteran-founded New York based technology company dedicated to eliminating barriers to health care for veterans, rural communities, and minorities. He lives in Saratoga County and is running as a Democrat to defeat Elise Stefanik and represent the people of New York’s 21st Congressional District.
Website: Matt Castelli for Congress Email: info@castelliforcongress.com |
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Matt Putorti: |
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A big part of Matt’s story begins in 1927. In that year, his great-grandmother, who immigrated to the United States from Italy as a child, opened a grocery store on the first floor of her house to help her family make ends meet. That store, which Matt’s parents operate today, has embedded his family in the small town of Whitehall, New York—the birthplace of the U.S. Navy—for four generations.
Now, at an age just a few years older than his great-grandmother was when she started her small business, Matt is running as a Democrat to represent New York’s North Country in Congress. The people of his hometown, his identity as a gay person, and his Catholic faith have taught Matt the meaning of service, community, empathy, and patriotism, and he has lived these values in all he has done—from serving in AmeriCorps to volunteering in Sudan to leading civic organizations working on behalf of the marginalized. As a lawyer, he has spent the majority of his career fighting insurance companies who wrongfully deny coverage and has devoted significant pro bono efforts to advancing LGBTQ equality, reducing gun violence, and making the immigration system fair.
Website: Matt Putorti for Congress Email: info@putortiforcongress.com |
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Nicholas Chase: |
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Nick Chase grew up on a small farm in Delaware County and went on to study political science at Hartwick College. Three years into his degree, he had to pause his education due to financial hardship. He was working full time while pursuing his degree, but life expenses were still adding up. When the pandemic hit, Nick joined an essential sector that needed employees badly, education. He is now employed at Franklin Central School District as a long-term substitute, teaching middle school science. "I have worked in education for the past two years, and my employment there inspired me to run for this office. As a state, we have a lot to fight for. Every day, I wake up and instill in my students the knowledge they need to be successful in today’s society. I’m running because I’d like to ensure that life in central New York works for them, post high school. This desire comes in many forms. First and foremost, we want to navigate our state out of this pandemic, and rectify the educational, societal, and economic impacts it has unleashed on us. We want our children to have access to broadband internet to bolster the quality of their education. We want our farm kids to be able to inherit their farms, work hard to put food on our table, and make a comfortable profit while doing so. We want our children to grow up knowing that they can go to the doctor without fear of how they are going to pay for it. Most importantly, we want our children to see people with morals and compassion leading the way to a better future for all of us."
Regarding the endorsement by the SCDC, Nick commented, "I am thrilled to have the endorsement of the Schoharie County Democratic Committee. It is an honor to be endorsed by this hard-working group of people with the goal of advancing Democratic values and morals. I look forward to working with them to achieve our goal this November and win Democratic representation in Albany!"
Website: www.chaseforassembly.com |
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Chairwoman: Theresa Heary- info@schohariedemocrats.org Communications Chair: Jerrine Corallo – cjerrine@gmail.com |
