Teachout brings campaign to the hamlet of Wassaic

WASSAIC — The Harlem Valley Chamber of Commerce held a meet-and-greet for Democratic Congressional candidate Zephyr Teachout at the Lantern Inn on Thursday, June 9. A handful of people, most of them business owners, showed up to meet and listen to the candidate introduce herself.

Teachout is a law professor at Fordham  University. Her first taste of politics came about when she ran against Governor Andrew Cuomo for that office in 2014. Despite not winning, her grass-roots campaign gained attention from the public. Now she is determined to be elected as the representative for the 19th Congressional district — she decided to run after Congressman Chris Gibson (R-19) announced his retirement.

The Vermont native, who currently resides in Dutchess County, is running her campaign on an anti-corruption platform.

“I am running because anger against Congress is at its historic highest level,” Teachout explained. “Everywhere I go in the district I hear people say they feel shut out of the political process — I’m running to help them raise their voices.

“It’s a scary moment when citizens stop believing in their government,” she added.

The self-proclaimed “FDR Democrat” said she hopes to address issues pertaining to public education, advocate for wide usage of renewable energy, protect small businesses and local economies by creating local jobs and develop infrastructure by improving roads and flood mitigation and widening the market for affordable broadband.

Her upbringing in Vermont, she said, has given her a good idea of what struggles agricultural communities face — important experience as she will be representing farming communities, if elected.

Teachout said she’ll address residents’ myriad concerns and work side by side with representatives from the opposite party.

“I don’t have any unrealistic views,” she said, adding that while there is often gridlock between Democrats and Republicans on certain topics, her long history of working with Republicans will come in handy.

“I think we can come to agreements working together,” she said.

Those at the Lantern last week seemed to be interested on Teachout’s approach and her propositions.

Former Amenia town Supervisor Janet Reagon, now chair to the Amenia Democratic Committee, said she will support Teachout in the Democratic primary for 19th Congressional District because she believes Teachout will represent everyone fairly and effectively.

“Zephyr Teachout is a passionate advocate for fairness in elections, by getting rid of dark money contributions, and in business, by leveling the playing field so that small businesses can compete with enormous corporations,” Reagon said. “She had the courage to challenge Governor Cuomo — she will stand up to the special interests that run Congress.”

The executive director of the Maplebrook School Foundation, Lori Hale, said she was also interested in what Teachout had to say.

“I am encouraged and pleased that she comes from a rural background so she understands these issues,” Hale said. “But like so many Americans, I am skeptical that it’s not enough to overcome the corruption of the system. She seems undaunted and is ready for the fight. We have to start somewhere.”