By LORNA CHEROT LITTLEWAY
GHENT–The NY Democratic Party has a primary election for the 106th Assembly District. The contest pits 6-term incumbent Didi Barrett against Ward 1 Columbia County Board Supervisor Claire Cousin. In-person voting is on Tuesday, June 25.
Early voting runs from Saturday, June 15 to Sunday, June 23. Early voters may cast their ballots in Hudson at the Columbia County Office Building, 401 State Street and in Valatie at the Martin H. Glynn Municipal Center, 3211 Church Street, regardless of where they are registered to vote. Early voting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Wednesday when the polls are open noon to 9 p.m.
The Republican Party does not have a primary election.
State Assembly seats are for 2 years. The 106th district covers parts of Columbia and Dutchess counties. In Columbia, all towns are in the district except Ghent, Kinderhook, Stuyvesant and Stockport.
Both Democratic candidates responded to the Columbia Paper profile form. Their answers follow:
Didi Barrett, 73, a Claverack resident, has been in the position of Assemblymember for 12 years. She is a registered Democrat and has been endorsed by the Columbia County and Dutchess County.
A former journalist and magazine editor, museum professional, and not-for-profit leader, Ms. Barrett has a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a master’s degree from NYU.
Her candidate statement reads: Didi Barrett was elected to the New York State Assembly in a special election in March 2012. She is currently chair of the Assembly’s Energy Committee, and serves on the Committees on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development; Agriculture; and Environmental Conservation.
She is passionate about the agricultural, historical, cultural and natural resources of the Hudson Valley and their critical importance as economic drivers and job creators. She has been a longtime advocate for women and girls, LGBTQ and reproductive rights.
Ms. Barrett has secured significant funding to combat food insecurity, build affordable housing, support libraries, schools, municipalities, first responders, environmental and arts organizations in her district. She is outspoken about de-stigmatizing mental health issues and bringing more resources to the fight against Lyme and tick borne illnesses. She is committed to making our region a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
Her website is Barrett4Assembly.com
Claire Cousin, 31, a Hudson resident, is a registered Democrat and has been endorsed by New York Working Families Party. She was elected to the Columbia County Board of Supervisors in 2022
Ms. Cousin was a community organizer. She is the co-founder and former executive director of the Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition. She was also the co-founder of Social Justice Leadership Academy, a program for young people to educate themselves on social justice, and launched a weekly youth program, Space 101, in the City of Hudson to create a safe space for Black and queer young people, one of the only such spaces in Columbia County at the time. She previously worked as a youth organizer, home health aide and domestic violence services counselor. She became a single mom at 17 and worked full-time to make ends meet while living in public housing and pursuing a college education at SUNY-Empire.
Her candidate statement reads: I’ve lived in Columbia County my whole life, but it’s become difficult to see how I’ll afford to stay in my community. Our area is facing three major, compounding crises of affordability, housing, and climate. Corporate real estate developers and landlords are driving up rents and home prices, forcing people out of our communities and making it near-impossible to find an affordable place to live.
Meanwhile, private utility companies are polluting our planet and raking in record profits while Hudson Valley residents struggle to pay their bills and bear the consequences of climate change. Wages have stagnated, healthcare costs are exorbitant, and college is unaffordable. Our elected leaders, beholden to corporate donors, have failed to take the action we need. I’m running a grassroots, people-powered campaign because Columbia and Dutchess Counties need an Assembly member who will put people and the planet over profits and politics. The Hudson Valley deserves better.
Her website is clairecousinforassembly.com
