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Ulster County Republicans have endorsed a slate of candidates for the November election, hoping to reverse a string of painful losses that left Democrats in firm control of the county legislature.
According to the Daily Freeman, the Republican Committee gathered Saturday (February 21) at Shawangunk Town Hall to formally back candidates for county legislature seats, state offices, and Congress. Election Day this year falls on Tuesday (November 3).
The endorsements come after a bruising 2025 cycle that left Democrats holding a 19–4 supermajority on the 23-seat county legislature. Republicans have endorsed candidates in just nine of those 23 districts — meaning the best they can realistically hope for is to chip away at that Democratic grip.
Ken Ronk, the GOP committee chairman, acknowledged the challenge but struck a cautious tone. "We have until March 30 to find more candidates," Ronk said. "If it's nine, it's nine." Democrats, by comparison, have endorsed candidates in 21 of the 23 districts.
The nine Republican-endorsed legislative candidates include four incumbents — Jason Kovacs (District 3), Kevin Roberts (District 12), Richard Walls (District 13), and Craig Lopez (District 14) — along with former legislators Herb Litts (District 9) and Gina Hansut (District 10), two candidates who lost in 2025 — Jared Geuss (District 8) and Nicholas Cracolici (District 11) — and political newcomer Peter Friedel (District 22).
On the congressional front, the committee endorsed state Sen. Peter Oberacker, a Republican from Schenevus, to challenge 19th Congressional District incumbent Josh Riley, a Democrat from Ithaca. The GOP did not endorse a challenger to U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan in the 18th Congressional District.
For the 41st state Senate seat, Republicans again backed Patrick Sheehan to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Michelle Hinchey. Sheehan ran against Hinchey in 2024 and lost decisively, 46,296 to 24,876.
In the 51st Senate District, GOP members unanimously endorsed Assemblyman Chris Tague over former Ulster County Legislator Terry Bernardo. Bernardo, who now serves as a Sullivan County legislator, said she was not surprised by the result and announced she would circulate petitions to force a primary for the party line. Democrats have endorsed 51st District incumbent Sen. Michele Frazier, though Legislator Chris Hewitt has said he may also push for a primary on that side.
For state Assembly races, Republicans endorsed incumbent Brian Maher for the 101st District, Santos Lopez to challenge incumbent Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha in the 103rd District, and Robert Johnson to take on incumbent Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson in a Newburgh-area seat.
The committee did not endorse candidates to challenge incumbent Sheriff Juan Figueroa or to fill the Ulster County Surrogate Court seat.
With candidate petition deadlines approaching and Election Day set for Tuesday (November 3), both parties will spend the coming months building their rosters and sharpening their messages for voters across Ulster County.