“You’ve seen the posts. Vast expressions of support for Ukraine. Friends you didn’t think were particularly political suddenly railing against Elon Musk and swearing to dump their Teslas. Ordinary people worrying about Republican cuts to Medicaid. Fear of flying under the DOGE-reduced Federal Aviation Administration. The stock market posts. The Putin memes. Hockey fans rooting for Canada. That arch #FAFO hashtag. Slogans scribbled on the dusty hoods of pre-scrapyard Cybertrucks.”
People Are Stepping Up
As President Musk continues his onslaught against the US Government and its people, backed by the new chairman of the Kennedy Center, patriots across the country are organizing to protect democracy and their neighbors. One brave Congressman notified the president during the State of the Union that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid. Protestors gathered in Peekskill to demand action from Chuck Schumer. Scientists and their supporters gathered on March 7 to halt funding cuts for medicine, the environment, and countless other critical missions. Courts are pumping the brakes on reckless firings.
Peekskill rally on 2/17 demanding action.
The crowd gathered at Chuck Schumer’s office.
More people are starting to understand the stakes. Your local and county Democratic Committees are feeling the energy, too. Our invitations to join have yielded real results. Local activists are spontaneously organizing rallies and walks to call attention to Musk’s ongoing attacks and the lawlessness and corruption he’s bringing to Washington. And we’ve got candidates stepping up for November to secure the blessings of liberty right here in Orange County.
CORNWALL DEMS ENDORSE DYNAMIC TEAM FOR TOWN ELECTIONS IN 2025
Your amazing Town Board candidates: Council Member Rokhsha Michael-Razi, Supervisor Josh Wojehowski, and next Council Member Mary Heed.
The Cornwall Democratic Committee is pleased to announce the unanimous endorsement of a dynamic team of candidates for office in the November 2025 Town elections.
In the committee’s endorsement meeting last month, Josh Wojehowski was nominated for re-election to the office of Supervisor, a position he has held since winning his first term in 2021. Also endorsed for re-election to another term as Council Member was Rokhsha Michael-Razi. Long-time Cornwall resident, Mary Heed, was tapped to run for the other open Town Council seat. This will be Heed’s first run for office.
"Our 2025 slate of candidates represents a seasoned, energetic team that will build on the considerable achievements made on behalf of Cornwall residents by Town government under the leadership of Supervisor Wojehowski,” said Cornwall Democratic Committee Chair Barbara Smith. “In these uncertain times, we need a steady, reliable hand in local government. Josh, Rokhsha and Mary have the experience and the vision needed to keep Cornwall moving forward,” Smith said.
Since taking office, Wojehowski, a lifelong Cornwall resident and former small business owner, has focused on smart economic development, Main Street revitalization, affordability, and addressing critical infrastructure issues. Under his leadership, the Town has improved emergency services and public safety, and secured funding for projects that enhance our community’s resilience to severe weather. During her term in the Town government, Michael-Razi, a USPTA tennis instructor and former pre-school teacher, has expanded recreational opportunities for families and children, fostered volunteerism, and focused on making Cornwall’s public spaces more inviting to residents and visitors alike. Heed, a member of the Town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, runs an active real estate business in Cornwall after a successful career in media strategy and planning.
The Town Democratic slate joins an experienced group of candidates for Cornwall’s three new Orange County Legislative Districts. Laurie Tautel of neighboring Highlands is seeking re-election to represent the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson in the newly created Legislative District 14; Cornwall Council Member Virginia Scott is running for the new Legislative District 12 in the central part of Cornwall, and Stephanie Powell, an educator from Woodbury, is running to represent the southwestern portion of Cornwall in new Legislative District 5. Each was unanimously endorsed by the full Orange County Democratic Committee at its convention in February.
This month volunteers will collect signatures to enable these and other energetic and highly qualified candidates to appear on the November ballot in Cornwall. The general election is November 4, 2025.
Orange County Democratic Committee Announces Historic Slate of Endorsed Candidates for 2025 County Elections
Noted Civil Rights Lawyer Michael Sussman Named Democratic Nominee for County Executive
Former Orange County Chief Assistant District Attorney Alan Joseph Nominated to be Next Orange County District Attorney
Democrats to Run Competitive Legislative Candidates in Nineteen Legislative Districts Across Orange County
Two Questions, with Answers
Elon Musk and his follower Donald Trump are attacking American values and destroying our country’s global leadership while harming our economic interests. Unfortunately, their corruption, greed, lawlessness and cruelty are still acceptable to too many supporters locally. Those of us who are serious about protecting democracy and our neighbors have work to do.
Time to roll up our sleeves.
Q: What happens next?
We pull together, as we did in 2017. That means finding and building community, helping our neighbors, and organizing to hold and gain office so we can preserve freedom and democracy.
Q: What can I do?
Come to more CDC meetings and bring friends.
Visit cornwalldems.org regularly and sign up for newsletters. Send them to like-minded local family and friends.
Attend the following and report back:
Volunteer for a CDC subcommittee (communications, service & scholarship, fundraising & events, campaigns).
Consider joining the Committee if you have time and passion.
Volunteer for municipal boards and committees (planning, zoning, ethics, economic development, etc.).
Explore a run for office; we can help.
Check out our actions page and actions calendar for independently organized activities.
Connect with other activists & volunteers in like-minded organizations (Indivisible, Orange County Democratic Women, Latino Democratic Committee of Orange County, Young Democrats of Orange County, etc.).
Reach out to service organizations and see how you can help (Planned Parenthood, Rural & Migrant Ministries, Cornwall Pride, Cornwall Cleanup Crew, Mothers Out Front, your union, Fearless!, NE Regional Food Bank, etc.).
If you’re a registered Republican who no longer sees yourself in the Musk/Trump party, consider changing to unaffiliated or Democratic.
Not Even Republicans Voted for This
New York Times: “Republicans Face Angry Voters at Town Halls, Hinting at Broader Backlash” (gift link)
As President Musk and his MAGA acolytes continue their assault on federal agencies and the rule of law, voters across the country are catching on. The article above details some of the outcry.
They’re attacking veterans benefits.
They’re attacking education.
They’re attacking our National Parks.
They’re attacking the US Postal Service.
They’re attacking the medical profession.
They’re gearing up to attack Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.
They’re firing the people who advise them to obey laws: senior military leaders, inspectors general, judge advocate generals, and DOJ lawyers.
They’re attacking YOU. (Even if you’re a Republican.)
MAGA Mike Lawler questioned Westchester legislator Jose Alvarado’s citizenship to his face.
Nearby in the Hudson Valley our neighbor MAGA Mike Lawler questioned the citizenship of a Hispanic Westchester County legislator, and refuses to apologize for racism and xenophobia. He’s a go-along, get-along Musk follower, willing to let the White House do whatever it wants to whoever it wants.
And their friends in Orange County are on board, too.
This year’s County and Town elections are critical to show that the people of Orange County are not on board with the MAGA agenda. It’s divisive, it’s cruel, and it’s harmful to our communities, no matter how we voted. As more Republicans and Republican-voting independents see and feel the effects from Washington and Goshen we’ll welcome them to help move forward.
Some actions you can take now.
Change your voter registration to Democratic or Unaffiliated here.
A Message from James Skoufis
Senator Skoufis offers one positive thing you can do to strengthen democracy in your community. Check it out, and then go to https://www.ocnydemocrats.org/jointheparty to take action.
Interesting Times
In 2017, 37 of your fellow Cornwall citizens saw the election of Donald Trump—and the fact that he carried Cornwall—and went to the local Democratic Committee to understand its workings and what went wrong. Since then members of that group, along with some longstanding CDC members and new allies, filled the Committee and built it into the representative body that Cornwall’s Democratic voters deserve. Cornwall’s party registration flipped to majority-Democrat, and we've had many electoral successes, including a majority on the Town Board.
So the threshold of the second and potentially even more disastrous Trump era is even more heartbreaking and unsettling. Getting through it as a functioning and free country—and we will—will take a million seeds sprouting from dry soil.
We, Cornwall, can start with a measure of comfort in this fact: ALL of our supported candidates carried the town, and ALL except Vice President Harris won their races. We re-elected Senator Gillibrand, Congressman Ryan, State Senator Skoufis, and Assemblyman Eachus, and elected Orange County’s own Brett Broge to the state Supreme Court. The State’s Equal Rights Amendment won resoundingly here and across New York. Cornwall showed once again that we are a patriotic town dedicated to freedom, fairness and the rule of law, as reflected in these results. THANK YOU.
It might not always be comforting to be on the right side of history, but it’s where we are today as Democratic voters. We’ll be on the right side of the future, too.
You can join us! Register or change your party registration here, and attend an upcoming meeting.
A Note for Our NY-17 Friends (Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester)
The congressional election between MAGA Republican Mike Lawler and Democrat Mondaire Jones will be extremely close. The votes cast on the Working Families ballot line could very well be the difference. By stealing the line, Lawler and his MAGA radicals hope to confuse WFP voters and stifle the will of the district.The only way to fight this is to make sure that every voter knows that the candidate appearing on the WFP line is a MAGA spoiler, and not a real candidate for Congress. Learn more.
Early Voting Starts Today! Go Vote!
In 2016 the Republican presidential candidate lost the popular vote by 3 million; in 2020 by 7 million. This year let’s get that to 10 million! Vote today, Cornwall!
https://www.orangecountygov.com/1953/Early-Voting-Information
Get Your Harris-Walz Signs! (Free)
Your local Democratic volunteers can provide free Harris for President lawn signs and signs for the rest of the ticket, too! Request signs here (while supplies last). We will have them available during this week.
Trump Threatens Political Opponents
When he’s not listlessly swaying from side to side on stage for 40 minutes listening to music while his supporters leave, the republican presidential candidate (a convicted felon out on bail awaiting sentencing) is more and more actively promising “revenge” on those he doesn’t deem loyal enough to him.
Trump’s threats, and his supporters’ willingness to empower him, are direct threats to democracy and to the country. We’ve already seen one insurrection at his behest. Many Cornwall Democrat readers have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution, whether through elected status, as military personnel, or for other civic service. Voting is the best and easiest way to defend the Constitution and the United States from Donald Trump and his supporters.
Check your registration and voting location here.
Post a sign to show your patriotism.
Volunteer with your local Democrats to get out the vote.
Stakes Are High and Time Is Short
The election drumbeat is speeding up. The republican ticket is putting out racist lies and promising louder than ever to attack personal freedom. Emails and texts are flooding inboxes, and ads are non-stop. But your local Democratic Committee is continuing our steady work to reach out to neighbors, strengthen Cornwall, and work as one for the common good.
Why? Because we’re all in this together. If you’re frustrated or disgusted by the other side’s xenophobia, misogyny, racism, and attacks on voting rights—and if you see a path to prosperity, security and freedom with your vote—join us. Here’s how:
Action!
Volunteer—phone banking, canvassing, sign delivery & posting
Republican Party Leader Disparages Medal of Honor Recipients
Continuing its recent history of disparaging veterans like John McCain, John Kerry and Tim Walz, as well as wounded and slain soldiers and their families, the Republican party again spoke through its leader, Donald Trump, this week, to cast disrespect on recipients of the Medal of Honor. According to Wikipedia, “The Medal of Honor is the oldest continuously issued combat decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The President typically presents the Medal of Honor at a formal ceremony intended to represent the gratitude of the American people, with posthumous presentations made to the primary next of kin.”
To demonstrate how “grateful” Republicans feel about soldiers who endangered or gave their lives in service to the United States, Trump had this to say about the similarities between bestowing a medal on a campaign donor, and the nation’s highest military honor:
“I watched Sheldon sitting so proud in the White House when we gave Miriam the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump said, speaking about Sheldon Adelson. “That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian, it’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version.”
“It’s actually much better because everyone gets the congressional Medal of Honor, that’s soldiers, they’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead,” he went on.
“She gets it, and she’s a healthy beautiful woman. And they’re rated equal. But she got the Presidential Medal of Freedom.” [link]
This dishonorable language is particularly relevant to Cornwall and Cornwall-on-Hudson, as the town recently memorialized a resident, Captain Paul Bucha, who was recognized with the Medal of Honor for heroic combat actions during the war in Vietnam, and who sadly passed at the age of 80.
Our town is known for being home to a disproportionately high number of Medal of Honor recipients.
It’s unclear whether Republicans will continue to follow Trump, but there is reason to believe they will. The latest insult to the military is in keeping with the Party’s recent history. Those old enough to remember 2004 will recall that the Republican party unapologetically favored draft-evader George W. Bush over decorated war hero John Kerry following the Republicans’ disgraceful campaign undermining Kerry’s bravery under fire. Those old enough to remember last week will recall when draft-evader Trump’s hand-picked vice-presidential candidate and veteran JD Vance (aka James Donald Bowman, aka James David Hamel, aka J. D. Hamel) shamefully disparaged the military service of 24-year National Guard veteran Tim Walz. And they’ll likely continue to gloss over Trump’s earlier remarks about John McCain (calling him a “loser” and the infamous “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”), his attacks on slain U.S. soldiers as “losers” and “suckers,” his denigration of Gold Star families, and his pathetic comments about the Purple Heart.
It appears that in its zeal to debase itself for Trump, the Republican Party will abandon every value it has ever claimed to hold.
The Stakes
It’s past time to face facts. Pundits often talk in vague terms about “both sides,” suggesting equivalency, and those vibe-based opinions are sometimes repeated by non-pundits. If you’ve ever watched focus groups speaking about candidates, there’s often little policy language, just folks’ general sense of the people. That’s dangerous.
Because facts are facts:
Donald Trump and his cabal of aspirational fascists are a threat to American democracy. Not because he feels like one, but because he comes out and says it. Watch this, and then take action: