Democratic field of Faso opponents taking shape

Six Democratic hopefuls are gearing up for the chance to challenge Republican Rep. John Faso in next year's election for the 19th Congressional District. 

And they are laying out their platforms for voters on a range of topics, from sexual harassment and funding for higher education to the environment and opioid addiction.

Seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Faso, R-Kinderhook, are Jeff Beals of Woodstock; Dave Clegg of Woodstock; Antonio Delgado of Rhinebeck; Brian Flynn of Hunter, Greene County; Gareth Rhodes of Kerhonkson; and Pat Ryan of Gardiner. The Democrats were center stage at a forum held Wednesday night at the State University of New York at New Paltz.

REP. JOHN FASO: Health care, transparency defended at town hall meeting 

HOUSE TAX BILL: Five impacts in NY

MAURICE HINCHEY: Congressman's legacy lives on

Faso has come under criticism in the Hudson Valley for not facing constituents or addressing the words and actions of President Donald Trump. He defended himself at a town hall event held in September. On Thursday, a spokesman for Faso declined comment on the forum. 

The two-hour forum covered a range of topics. But the discussion of opioid addiction seemed to strike a chord among everyone in the room. Below are responses from the candidates about the opioid crisis.

Beals said, “We need to confront this opioid crisis as what it is, a crisis that is a crisis of health, not a crime wave; and a crisis of despair."  

Clegg said, “It is something that we must act on and we must put our money where our mouth is."

Delgado said, “What we need is leadership and compassion and understanding on this issue."

Flynn said, “We have to declare it an epidemic and put money behind it and we have to do it right away."

Rhodes said, “It is this crisis. The numbers don't even shed light on how bad it is in this community." 

Ryan said, “This is an epidemic that is facing our entire country. So one of the first things I would do in Congress is fight for real legislation that would scale up the resources...”

Congressional primary elections will be held June 26, 2018. The general election will be held Nov. 6, 2018. 

The 19th Congressional District includes all of Ulster County and all but the southwestern portion of Dutchess. It also includes all of Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie and Sullivan counties, as well as parts of Broome, Montgomery and Rensselaer counties.

Leith Kusmider, 20, a New Paltz resident, SUNY New Paltz junior and student senator, said the event was “very productive.

“I got a feel of the candidates and I got a message of what they supported and what they didn’t support,” he said. “While they’re all Democrats, they differed slightly on what they emphasized and you could see that.”

John W. Barry: jobarry@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4822, Twitter: @JohnBarryPoJo