Isgur: “There’s a lot of alienation”
TOWN OF WALLKILL – Patrick Davis, who announced his candidacy for
Orange County executive on Tuesday, was nominated by the county Democratic
committee Wednesday evening.
Davis told the party faithful that since he decided to run two weeks ago, support has been “overwhelming.” He said he believes in “value-based leadership” and supports well-paying jobs, “but not at the expense of the environment,” an obvious slap at both the CPV power plant under construction in Wawayanda and the proposed Legoland theme park in the Town of Goshen.
Davis, a political newcomer, will face off against Republican incumbent Steven Neuhaus.
The Democratic committee also endorsed attorney Michael Isgur for district attorney. He ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Republican David Hoovler four years ago. Isgur said crime and opioid abuse are both up and the DA’s office has been helpless in curbing both.
Isgur feels Hoovler has endorsed a complacent policy for law enforcement that will no longer work with the current constituency and is looking to implement a new way of running the office.
“There’s a lot of alienation,” Isgur said. “A lot of people feel like the police are the enemy and I think, to some extent, the police feel like, in some parts of the county, that the citizens are the enemy, and that’s not the way it should be. The police should be part of our community. We should have the highest respect for them, and they should deserve that respect. I think there needs to be a different approach in policing. I think we need to rethink how we do this.”
Debra Mulqueen, a staffer in the county clerk’s office, who ran unsuccessfully against her boss, Republican Annie Rabbitt four years ago, is making another run for the post. “It’s going to be a challenge,” she said. Politics “is in my blood.”
Democrats also selected candidates in county legislative races including Omari Shakur in District Four representing the east side of the City of Newburgh. He ran unsuccessfully for the legislature and mayor previously.
“We’ve been putting in a lot of work,” said Shakur. “This has been years of campaigning. This is the culmination of years of work that we’ve been putting in and right now, it’s the first step toward making Newburgh a better Newburgh; so, we’re very excited. We’re very excited, full of energy and we’re ready to go out and work.”
The Democrats have not fielded a candidate to run against Republican County Court hopeful William DeProspo.
