Teachout with Hein, center, and Noble
KINGSTON – Democratic Congressional hopeful Zephyr Teachout picked up several key endorsements in Kingston Monday afternoon, including Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach, and Kingston Mayor Steven Noble.
Teachout, a law professor from Dover, is seeking a seat in the US House of representatives for New York’s 19th Congressional District, currently held by Republican Christopher Gibson. Teachout is best known for winning 34 percent of the primary vote against incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo in the 2014 Democratic Primary.
Other local politicians have also lent their support to Teachout. Among them are Ulster County Legislators Manna Jo Greene, James Delaune, and Jennifer Schwartz-Berky; New Paltz Mayor Timothy Rogers; New Paltz Town Supervisor Neil Bettez; Rosendale Councilwoman Jennifer Metzger; and Kingston Alderman Brad Will.
Supporters hope Teachout will fill the shoes of retired Congressman Maurice Hinchey, a Democrat, who held the seat for 20 years before retiring in 2013.
“Most people think Congress is broken; they’re right,” Teachout said. “But I believe that if you ground representation in communities, you bring more power than just yourself. You bring all that wisdom, all those ideas with you.”
“This race is important,” not only throughout Ulster County, but across the country, Hein said. “We are facing real, serious, imminent challenges to basic freedom.”
Noble said he shares Zephyr Teachout’s passion for the environment, including anti-fracking issues and renewables. “We’ve got a lot in common,” Noble said, offering Kingston to serve as her base for campaigning. “It’s a big district,” he said.
“We all recognize the compassion, the intellect, and the audacity that are woven through our next member of Congress,” Auerbach said. “Zephyr Teachout will be the real champion for the people f the 19th Congressional District.”
