Republicans pick slate of candidates
By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
COEYMANS — Former Town Supervisor George McHugh will be on the ballot for town supervisor in November.
The Town of Coeymans Republican Committee held its caucus last Tuesday and nominated a full slate of candidates for the November town election.
Heading up the slate is former supervisor McHugh, who lost a close race to Democratic incumbent Town Supervisor Stephen Donnelly the last time around in 2023. Only 24 votes separated the two candidates.
“Many residents have reached out to me in recent months urging me to run for supervisor to restore competency and confidence in town government. That time has come and I am grateful for the early support and encouragement from so many across the community,” McHugh said.
McHugh is a registered Conservative but runs on the Republican ticket as well.
“I am humbled and honored to have the support and endorsement of the Republican Party as well as the Conservative Party in the upcoming 2025 election for Coeymans Town Supervisor,” McHugh said. “Coeymans needs competent, dedicated and experienced leadership to move our town forward, and that is what our team brings to this campaign. I am proud beyond words to be a member of this slate of local leaders and experienced professionals, and through our efforts, Coeymans shall continue to grow and remain a great place to live and work. I have spent most of my life in public service, and all of my life calling Coeymans ‘Home,’ and I look forward to continuing to do both.”
Also on the ballot in November will be incumbent Town Councilman Stephen Schmitt and current Planning/Zoning Board of Appeals Chair Patricia Grogan running for the two open seats on the town board.
“It has been one of the greatest honors to serve the Town of Coeymans over the last 14 years (nine years on the Zoning Board of Appeals, two years on the Joint Planning Board/Zoning Board of Appeals, and the last three years as a councilman on the Town Board), and I’m extremely grateful to have secured the continued support of the Town of Coeymans Republican Party,” Schmitt said. “I sincerely appreciate the support they have provided over the years. I have worked tirelessly over the last three years, and I promise to continue to work that hard, or harder, going forward. In addition to securing the endorsement of the Republican Party, I’ve also secured the endorsement of the Conservative Party. Together, with the help of the great team of individuals that make up our slate for the upcoming election, I hope to get the Town of Coeymans back on track, and continue to make it a great place to call home for all of us.”
For Grogan, it will be her first run for the town council.
“I am truly grateful to the Republican and Conservative parties for endorsing me in the upcoming 2025 town election,” Grogan said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to run for town council. Over the past three years serving on the Planning and Zoning Board, I’ve gained valuable insights into our town’s potential. This town is full of opportunity for growth, and I look forward to the chance to help continue moving it forward. I hope to earn your support and serve our community in the next chapter of its development.”
Incumbent Town Clerk Candace McHugh is running for re-election.
“I truly enjoy being able to serve my community in the capacity of Coeymans town clerk,” Candace McHugh said. “I am proud to have the endorsement of the Republican and Conservative parties once again and believe our slate is one that can effectively elevate Coeymans to its full potential.”
Incumbent Highway Superintendent Dan Baker is also seeking another term in his post.
“As the incumbent, my philosophy is to continue to deliver the high level of service that we have been providing for the last three years,” Baker said. “Responding to the residents and continuing to be 100% transparent is part of the mission statement at the Town of Coeymans Highway Department. It is my honor to be the highway superintendent for the Town of Coeymans, and I will continue to uphold these values if I am re-elected in November.”
Democrat Ronald Hotaling, a current town board member, will run on the Republican ticket for town justice.
“In 2022, I had a desire to run for town justice when asked by the Democratic Committee and, at that time, I was not ready to retire from my full-time job as a senior parole officer at the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision,” Hotaling said. “That brought me to my current role on the Town Council in which I serve the people of the Town of Coeymans. When the opportunity arose to be considered to run for town justice to fill the void by Justice Frese not seeking re-election this fall, I knew I had to take that leap of faith to seek this esteemed office. I am extremely honored to have the tremendous support and endorsement of both the Republican Party and Conservative Party in seeking this office.”
He continued, “I am proud to be part of a bipartisan slate of candidates who share, in my eyes, a common goal and set of values; this being service and commitment to ALL of the people in the Town of Coeymans. This is a group of local residents from all walks of life committed to providing this town with responsible and effective government. As your town justice I will work with the same unbiased eyes and energy that I have used in my current role on the Town Board. I look forward to meeting each and every one of the members of this town as I move toward this goal.”
The GOP slate includes candidates from the Republican, Democratic and Conservative parties, Republican Town Committee Chairman Patrick Cronin noted.
“This slate represents a cross-section of our town,” Cronin said. “Candidates from three different political parties coming together for a unified purpose — that is, to create the kind of efficient, responsive town government that fosters growth and economic development — is what Coeymans residents both expect and deserve in these otherwise divisive times. This group cumulatively brings decades of experience to the roles they’re running for, and they’re excited to start knocking doors and attending events to discuss major issues with town residents.”
