A victory for New Paltz — and a new way forward

Every so often, a community reminds itself what it’s capable of.
Last night, in New Paltz, we did exactly that.

With nearly 76% of the vote, residents chose Tim Rogers as their next Town Supervisor — a resounding decision that wasn’t just about winning an election. It was about reclaiming something deeper: faith in each other, and a belief in the idea that local government should (and can) work for all of us.

Rogers, who has served as the village mayor since 2015, opened his acceptance speech with a challenge that landed powerfully: “Our community deserves a local government that stops playing ‘us vs. them.’ Too often, we mirror the increasingly divided politics of Washington, D.C., when we should be charting our own, more constructive path.”

That, in a nutshell, is what’s most important today. This is not just a victory for the Democrats, but a uniting of our community around the problems we need to solve and the role local government has to play in meeting those needs. Rogers isn’t afraid to get into the details of how he believes problems should be solved. What’s refreshing about that is that he’s passionately driven by a single question: What’s the best possible outcome for everyone in our community?

And while his detractors were happy to sling insults and falsehoods, he navigated them by sticking to the facts — where funds will come from, how sidewalks will get fixed, why the water and sewer infrastructure projects are necessary. That kind of attention to detail and clarity has allowed him to build metaphorical bridges rather than walls, and New Paltz voters responded with their unquestioned support for getting things done.

Democrats in New Paltz should be proud of ourselves in this moment, especially as we see other local elections — such as the race for New York City Mayor — being won against a backdrop of national division. It feels like local politics has become the venue for a new generation of voices with brave ideas about how things could and should be, and those ideas are winning strong support from their communities. The story was the same all over Ulster County where 5 GOP seats were flipped and a historic “super-majority” in the legislature achieved. Congrats also go to Kate Ryan, Lauren McPadden and Sean O’Sullivan, our new Town Councilmembers; and to Bill Murray and Megan Sperry for the New Paltz seats on the County Legislature.

Rogers spoke to that, too: “The question isn’t who holds which seat. It’s whether our government… is doing its best to serve New Paltz residents.” And who isn’t ready for a new era of politics that steps away from personality contests and instead focuses on delivering against the very real needs of our community?

As with all achievements, this win for the Democrats took a village — and a town. Success on November 4th came on the back of a reimagining and revitalization of our local Democratic Committee. Earlier this year, the New Paltz Democratic Committee was energized by new members and a renewed determination to get residents engaged. New branding, a new website (newpaltzdems.com), new social media accounts, and new email campaigns helped organize, connect, and inform local residents about what was happening and why it mattered.

And it wasn’t just online. The Democrats met neighbors in real life — at supermarkets, cafés, political marches, Pride festivals, regattas, Fourth Fridays, farmers’ markets, and other community events. We didn’t just make signs about democracy; we practiced it. The thousands who turned out to vote in an off-year election are proof of what happens when neighbors remind neighbors to do their part.

So yes, as registered Democrats we should celebrate this victory — because we haven’t had many lately. But more importantly, we should celebrate this moment for what it truly is: a turning point. A moment when division was replaced by unity. A reminder that it’s better to focus on the things we agree on than the things we don’t.

And I think we can all agree there are plenty of things that really need fixing in New Paltz — and it’s time for all of us to pay attention and do our part to get them done.

While we’re in the mood for decisive action, let’s not forget that the midterms in 2026 are only a year away. Let’s not reinvent the wheel — let’s build on this successful formula: neighbors talking to neighbors, and the recruitment of strong new leaders with bold (and achievable) ideas for how our lives can be made better.

If you want to help us, or think you might make a great Democratic candidate for one of our local positions, please reach out to the New Paltz Democratic Committee here.

It may sound like a cliché, but it’s an undeniable truth:

We are better when we work together.