Juan Figueroa, former state trooper and marine from Plattekill, defeated incumbent Paul VanBlarcum 82 percent to 18 percent to win the Democratic nomination for Ulster County sheriff. Rosendale Councilwoman Jen Metzger bested the community organizer Pramilla Malick 58 percent to 37 percent for the 42nd Senate seat.
Newburgh city councilman Jonathan Jacobson earned 28 percent of the vote against four other candidates for the 104th assembly district.
Statewide, incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo defeated actress Cynthia Nixon with 65 percent of the vote. In the attorney general race, New York City public advocate Letitia James seized victory with 42 percent of the vote followed by law school professor and former congressional and gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout (31 percent), District 18 congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (25 percent) and attorney Leecia R. Eve (three percent).
Democratic enthusiasm was high last week as candidates for the governor’s race received 16,208 votes in Ulster County compared to 6,884 in 2014 according to Hudson Valley One. Usually, voter turnout in Ulster County for the Democratic primary is 15-20 percent; this year it was 35.5 percent. Statewide was double the 2014 total.
In a press release, Nixon stated that, although the result was not what they had hoped for, she is pleased with the changes in the political landscape of New York State brought forth by the campaign.
“New York State is a more progressive place today than it was six months ago, because of what we did,” she said. “We forced the Governor to make concrete commitments that will change the lives of people in this state.”
According to a press release from the Metzer campaign, going into the general election, Metzger has over $200,000 cash on hand and has outraised her Republican opponent Annie Rabbitt by over 60 percent of the vote.
“Democrats have an 8,000 enrollment advantage in the district, and this campaign has the support, enthusiasm and momentum needed to win in November,” said Metzger’s campaign manager Kelleigh McKenzie.