NEWBURGH – With the general election just over a month away, Newburgh’s first-term mayor, Judy Kennedy, continues to fight for her political life. Using a recently rehabilitated row house on Lander Street as a backdrop, about 40 Kennedy supporters gathered to listen to some prominent people enthusiastically endorse her.
Among those saying the Democrat mayor had done much good for the city in three and a half years is former three-term Mayor Nicholas Valentine, a Republican. Valentine had harsh words for Democratic primary winner Jonathan Jacobson.
“So if we do not reelect her and he does get in, he will do everything in his power to try to knock this down, whatever way you can,” Valentine charged. “And by the way, he’s an attorney, he’ll try to look at every little way to twist and turn to lessen it, cheapen it, and that would hurt everyone in this city.”
Sometimes outspoken activist Lillie Howard, who ran for mayor many years ago, said Jacobson, a former county Democratic Committee chair and city party chair, has little more than titles to his credit.
“Do not allow yourself to get caught up with titles,” Howard said, during an at times emotional appeal. “Because of what one does with that title; that’s the bottom line.”
Howard’s son, Omari Shakur, who placed last in the three-way primary, put a ‘no politics’ spin on the general election.
“This is not about candidates,” Shakur said. “What’s best for the City of Newburgh. Because, somebody asked me why am I going against the Democratic Party? I’m not going against the Democratic Party. I’m going for the City of Newburgh.”
Kennedy acknowledged what Valentine said earlier, that in Newburgh, elections are typically not won by one party alone.
“And so when somebody says ‘you’re not supporting the Democrats’, well, we are,” Kennedy proclaimed. “Are we supporting the Republicans? Well, we are. Are we supporting the black community? Yes we are. Are we supporting the Latino community? Yes we are. Because, that’s the only way this city is actually really going to build.”
Kennedy adddresses supporters. Also in the photo, Valentine (left) and Shakur (to Kennedy’s left)
Jacobson said after Kennedy’s rally that if elected, the city will be better off.
“I am running because Newburgh can and should do better,” Jacobson said. “We need to have code enforcement, we need to pave the streets and we need to keep taxes stable.”
On the November ballot, Kennedy will appear on the Independence Party
line. Jacobson has the Democrat line and John Giudice is the Republican.
