PALENVILLE - The room suddenly broke into loud cheering and applause, disrupting the political proceedings of the Greene County Republican Committee, last Friday night in Palenville.
GOP leaders, loyal members and 2026 election candidates were gathered for their 57th Annual dinner with all the usual campaign speeches from local, county and State hopefuls.
There was a shared message of why it was vital to win and get every voter to the polls, prompting Party chairman Brent Bogardus to say, “this is the kind of enthusiasm we need,” drawing spirited clapping.
But the roof got raised when Chris Tague showed up, making what would be his last entrance to the event as State Assemblyman for the 102nd District which includes Greene County.
Tague is leaving the seat he has held for eight years to run for the 51st State Senate District which does not contain Greene County, going up against Democratic Party challenger Michele Frazier.
When the ruckus settled, Bogardus said, “we traditionally choose a “Republican of the Year” but this year we’re changing that title to “Republican of Decade,” introducing Tague.
The rafters rattled again when Tague opened his talk with his familiar line, ‘I approve this message,” then grew respectfully quiet when he added, “your warm welcome and this award mean the world to me.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve each and every one of you. I hope I made you proud. But this is about much more than me,” he said.
“This is about our children and our grandchildren. I’m here tonight to get you fired up, so get on the phones and treat this like the most important election of our time because it is,” Tague said.
Tague was the last to speak. Marcus Molinaro was the first, giving an impromptu speech before returning to the campaign trail, seeking to succeed Tague in the 102nd, facing Democrat Janet Tweed.
“This election is between crazy and common sense. Our Party has the common sense. Right now we have single [Democratic] Party rule in Albany with no transparency,” Molinaro said.
“It’s time we made it clear we’re tired of it and we want a change. I know what it’s like to run an uphill battle, but I feel this can happen,” he said.
“The one thing Democrats want is for us to feel we’re wrong. They want us to believe it’s impossible. Let’s make sure we get the votes out so we can turn this State around.” Molinaro said.
Speeches were also given by Peter Oberacker, Patrick Sheehan and Todd Hood. Greene County candidates Jeffrey Lowe and John Delvecchio are running unopposed for district attorney and coroner, respectively.
Sheehan is hoping to unseat Democrat Michelle Hinchey in the 41st State Senate District, saying, “we’re doing this for our families, not accolades.”
Hood is running for lieutenant governor with Governor’s candidate Bruce Blakeman, urging a big turnout at the polls, saying, “we have the right to vote because people have died for us to have this right.”
Oberacker, vying for the 19th Congressional District against incumbent Democrat Josh Riley, added a light-hearted story to the seriousness.
“Chris Tague’s entrance tonight reminds me of when the Holy Father came to New York,” Oberacker said. “He was being chauffeured in a limousine.
“He told the driver he used to be a taxi driver in Rome, saying he could get where they were going quicker, so the guy let him get behind the wheel.
“He got pulled over. The officer told him to roll down the window, took one look, immediately called the station and said, ‘I need a supervisor down here fast. I just stopped a limo and the Holy Father is the chauffeur. Whoever’s in the back seat, I need backup.’”
Pictured: Greene County Republican Committee held its 57th annual dinner, October 23, in Palenville. Among those attending were (left to right) county chairman Brent Bogardus, county sheriff Pete Kusminsky, 102nd Assembly District candidate Marcus Molinaro, 19th Congressional District candidate Peter Oberacker, 41st NY Senate District candidate Patrick Sheehan and lieutenant governor candidate Todd Hood.
