The unprecedented Democratic election victory this week splashed across most of our local races here in Ulster County. Elsewhere in our coverage area, results were mixed.

At the state level, Governor Kathy Hochul (D, Working Families) easily beat challenger Bruce Bateman (R, C, Affordable Vote) with 60.1% of the votes tallied. Attorney General Letitia James also hit 60% in her race for a third term as State AG, defeating Saritha Komatireddy (R, C). Hochul received 3,550, 354 votes. James got 3,476, 402.

Thomas DiNapoli comfortably won reelection as State Comptroller, 3,702,856 votes to Joseph Hernandez 2,028,717.

New York’s Senators were not up for election, but three congressional seats of interest were won by the Democrats.

The 19th District, which stretches across the Hudson Valley from the Massachusetts border to Ithaca in Tompkins County featured a battle between Josh Riley, (D, Working Families) who defeated Marc Molinaro two years ago, and Peter Oberacker (R, C), who left his State Senate Seat (the 51st) to challenge Riley.

Riley won with 165, 758 votes to Oberacker’s 123,624, or 57.2% to 42.7%. The electoral geography of the district was made very clear, with Riley winning the western and eastern ends, and then a strong showing in Ulster County, with Sullivan and the Binghamton area more mixed.

Democratic Congressman Pat Ryan retained his seat for the 18th District as well, crushing Republican challenger, Jackie Auringer, 168,846 (62.9%) to 99,522 (37.1%). Ryan saw a 15-point shift in his favor from the 2024 election.

A hard race for the 17th Congressional district was won by Cait Conley (D), a Pine Bush High School graduate (2003), who carried the seat with 133, 219 votes (52.2%) over Republican Mike Lawler, the incumbent, who had 121,881 (47.7%). Conley carried the seat with strong numbers from Westchester County which overcame Lawler’s advantages in Rockland, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties.

State Level Races

The 51st State Senate seat went to Republican Chris Tague, who had a commanding lead 53.6% over Michele Frazier’s 46.3% with 99% of election districts reporting. Frazier markedly improved her numbers from 2024, when she lost to Oberacker 60% to 40%.

The 41st State Senate seat was won again by Michelle Hinchey (D) , who defeated Republican Patrick Sheehan convincingly a second time, 62.8% to 37.2 %.

There are three Assembly seats in our area. Brian Maher (R), of the 101st District, was returned unopposed, and Democratic incumbent Jonathan Jacobson was also unopposed for the 104th district. Sarahana Shrestha easily won reelection for the 103rd, boosted by major support in Ulster County. She had 32, 462 votes to her challenger, Santos Lopez’s 14,378.

Ulster County Results

Democrats retained control of the County Legislature. Twelves seats were uncontested. Ten were incumbents: Aaron Levine, Ann Peters, Abe Uchitelle, Gregory McCullough, Peter Criswell, T.J. Briggs (who had stepped in to replace John Gavaris when he resigned on medical grounds), Debra Clinton, Bill Murray, Eric Stewart and Jeff Collins. Two new names were also unopposed, Pierrette Farber and Ken Stephens.

Three Republicans faced opposition this time around and two of them won reelection. Minority Leader Kevin Roberts and Richard Wells will return, but Jason Kovacs lost a close race for District 3 (Towns of Kingston and Ulster, plus Town of Saugerties) to Kate Leon 1,766 to 1, 723. Craig Lopez (R) ran unopposed for the 14th District and collected 1,942 votes.

Democrats facing opposition included Lindsay Grossman (Rosendale) who beat Daniel Glaser 2,745 to 1,171. The other five Democrats were all victorious, including Anne Dooley who beat veteran Republican Herb Litts, 1,919 to 1,434. The seat recently vacated by Kathy Nolan, for Olive, Shandaken and Hardenbugh, was won by Democrat Robert Drake, 2,620 to Republican Peter Friedel’s 1,415.

County Sheriff Juan Figueroa was unopposed, as were Surrogate Court Judge Judy Nolfo, State Supreme Court Justices Jennifer Sober and Amy Joyce.

Ellenville & Town of Wawarsing

John Gavaris ran unopposed and received 2,332 votes. Victoria Messner (D) ran unopposed for Village of Ellenville Trustee and received 854 votes. The Cragsmoor Free Library proposition for funding of $99,000 was approved 2,080 to 1,257.

Town of Rochester

Erin Enouen, Democratic incumbent in Rochester defeated the challenge from Republican Tom Warg by 1,939 to 1,382 votes.

Also in Rochester, Christian Wulf (D) beat Lene Fornino (R) for a seat on the town board. Wulf had 57.29% to Fornino’s 42.62%.

Rochester Highway Superintendent will now be Charlotte Smiseth (D), who defeated Richard Smith Jr. (R, C) 53.68% to 46.14%.

Town of Shawangunk

Ken Ronk won reelection for Town Supervisor, unopposed and received 3,044 votes. Jane Rascoe R&C was reelected Tax Collector and received 3,114 votes. Shawangunk Superintendent of Highways will continue to be Richard J. Blazeski, who ran unopposed and garnered 3,003 votes.

Town of Marbletown

Marbletown Highway Superintendent will now be Scott Hikade (D) who ran unopposed. The town narrowly passed a proposition to abolish the election of Highway Superintendent and created a Department of Public Works to be administered by a commissioner appointed by the Town Board.

Town of Mamakating

For Town Supervisor, incumbent Peter Goodman, won with 53.92%, 2,187 votes, defeating Viktor Gjelaj who had 45.91% and 1,862 votes. For the uncontested Highway Superintendent position, Thomas Morrow received 2,690 votes. There were 3 town board wards that were competitive.

In Ward 3, Matthew Mordas (D, C) won with 58.92% of the vote with 413 votes. Dino Orfanos (R) had 288 votes.

In Ward 4, Robert Rogers (R) won 59.50% with 379 votes, defeating Kalin P. Moon (D, Mamakating United) with 258 votes.

In Ward 5, James Post (R, C) won with 324 votes, 52.26%, over Leslie Ocasio who received 296 votes.

In the wards that were not contested, we have Ward 1, where Michael Robbins (R, C) received 506 votes. In Ward 2, Gary Forthoffer (R, C) received 465 votes, and in Ward 6, Tyler Wood (R, C) received 507 votes.

Town of Crawford

The Town of Crawford Town Supervisor race was uncontested, Michael Menendez (R, C) received 2,410 votes. The Town Clerk race was also uncontested, and Jessica Kempter (R, C) received 2,451 votes. Highway Superintendent Russell R. Futrell (R) was also unopposed and received 1,352 votes.