Town of Windham Republican Party held its caucus for the 2026 election, recently, nominating two candidates. Among those on hand were (left to right) incumbent town supervisor Thomas Hoyt and incumbent tax collector Katherine Murray (both seeking re-election) with caucus presiding officer Karl Gonzalez, town councilman Wayne Van Valin and town highway superintendent BJ Murray. Van Valin and Murray are each partway through their current terms of office, not needing to seek re-election in this cycle.

WINDHAM - Things were as clear as mud for a light-hearted moment when the Town of Windham Republican Party held its 2026 election caucus.

There were no surprises. Two incumbents were chosen to run again; town supervisor Thomas Hoyt and tax collector Katherine Murray.

Hoyt and Murray won election in November, 2025, but for only one year rather than the customary two years due to State election law changes aimed at aligning local and federal election cycles.

If successful this November, they would both win two-year terms, with Hoyt starting his seventh year in office and Murray her ninth year.

“I love this town,” Hoyt said in a phone interview following the April 24 caucus, explaining why he has tossed his hat in the ring anew.

Hoyt was born and raised in the Big Hollow in the outlying region beyond the hamlet of Maplecrest, previously serving for nearly nineteen years as Windham highway superintendent.

In December, 2025, he announced his bid for the 102nd State Assembly District, replacing Chris Tague who is seeking a State Senate post.

A month later, however, Hoyt encountered what he, at the time, termed “a major health condition” surrounding a minor stroke and heart attack.

Spending some weeks in the hospital, Hoyt stayed upbeat, saying, “they’ve taken eight million tests and ten gallons of blood. It feels like I was run over by a truck and backed over, but I’m on the mend.”

The series of events led to his withdrawal from the Assembly race, even as he is fully back in the saddle as supervisor.

Speaking earlier this week, Hoyt said, “I had a health emergency but I have come back from it so that health isn’t a question.”

The halted bid for the Assembly was, “one of those things that happens in life,” Hoyt says. “I was fortunate to have an opportunity to step into the arena, test the [political] waters.

“As it turned out, I couldn’t run the type of campaign I would have needed to run, covering five counties, so I ended the campaign,” he continued.

“I’m proud that someone from the small town of Windham was a candidate for the Assembly. I have unfinished work here,” Hoyt said.

In-progress ventures include a new little league ballfield outside the hamlet of Hensonville on property donated by the Windham Foundation.

And Windham is partnering with the NY City Department of Environmental Protection to create a vital receiving station for septic haulers at the local wastewater treatment plant. Groundbreaking for both projects could possibly occur later this year.

Murray, in addition to her efforts as tax collector for nearly a decade, has operated a successful Certified Public Accounting practice for thirty-five years. “I enjoy the job and I enjoy serving the public,” she said.

Karl Gonzalez, a former town councilman and ex-police chief, was the presiding officer for the caucus, a role he has often filled.

He opened by asking for a respectful Moment of Silence for all members of the military, including veterans and those now serving in the Middle East.

Gonzalez, who is known for adding humor to otherwise bland proceedings, accidentally caused warm laughter on this occasion.

He was reciting the caucus Rules of Order and the process by which the field of candidates would be narrowed to a winner if three or more individuals were running for the same office.

Hoyt and Murray were unopposed, so no ballots ultimately needed to be cast, but the rules still had to be read. Or innocently misread.

Gonzalez, reading from prepared text, said if written ballots were cast, “[the perfectly accurate] spelling of first name or last name doesn’t matter as long as it’s illegible.”

A hush fell over the room before a few folks chuckled. Gonzalez seemed befuddled, looking around, wondering what was funny. 

Someone suggested he reread the text. He did so, grinned and said, “yeah, that’s what I meant. Legible.”