MONTICELLO  — Sullivan County Republican Committee Chairman Greg Goldstein introduced Louis Ingrassia Jr., the Republican and Conservative Parties’ candidate for New York State Assembly District 100, at the Sullivan County Government Center on Wednesday, July 31. Ingrassia, a lifelong public servant with 40 years of experience in the Department of Public Works and the current Fire Commissioner for the Howell Fire District, addressed the public after Goldstein’s introduction.

Goldstein criticized the lack of primary elections for both Kamala Harris and Ingrassia’s opponent, Paula Kay, emphasizing the need for voter choice over party leadership. He highlighted Ingrassia’s extensive service, including his roles as a firefighter, past chief, current fire commissioner, and chairman of the Hudson Valley Honor Flight board of directors.

Ingrassia introduced Assembly Member Karl Brabenec and State Senator Peter Oberacker. Brabenec emphasized the importance of ending the Democrat supermajority in the State Assembly, noting that 102 out of 150 members are Democrats. He stressed the critical nature of flipping District 100, as well as District 99, to bring an end to one-party rule in New York State. Oberacker used an allegory to criticize Democratic governance, highlighting how Democrats talk about future improvements rather than addressing current issues.

A representative from the Transport Workers Union Local 2001 endorsed Ingrassia. In his address, the endorsee thanked his supporters, staff and family members, and stressed his commitment to practical solutions based on his real-life experience. 

“Since we took this leap of faith on February 17, we have been charting the course, setting the path, and paving the way to reclaim this assembly seat and return some sanity and some common sense to the New York State Capital,” he said.

He emphasized his 42 years as a volunteer firefighter in Howell’s Fire Company, including five years as chief and 23 years as fire commissioner. “My platform is very simple, common sense, although today, common sense is not too common,” he added.

Ingrassia noted that his primary concern is infrastructure. 

He discussed his experience dealing with sewers, roads, bridges, stormwater, planning, zoning, code review, and housing. “In the Town of Wallkill, we currently have over five million dollars in water and sewer grants, and funding through the EFC. The Town of Wallkill has had Republican leadership for the past 20 years and we have been extremely successful in securing these funds with a Democratic Majority in Albany over the same time period,” he explained.

Ingrassia believes his practical experience working with the fire department will help him understand the issues facing emergency services, law enforcement, and public safety. He highlighted his roles as president of the Orange County Fire Chiefs Association, the Orange County Fire District’s Association, and the Orange County Highway Superintendents Association.

Addressing broader state issues, Ingrassia criticized bail reform, high taxes, a weak economy, housing and healthcare crises exacerbated by migrants, and the SAFE and HALT Acts as “failed policies” of the Democratic majority. He also criticized the closure of the Sullivan County Correctional Facility in Fallsburg as a failure of leadership by Aileen Gunther, the current Assemblywoman, who will be stepping down. He questioned how her replacement would be any different.

Both Ingrassia and his opponent, Paula Kay, agree on the need to amend the Bail Elimination Act of 2019. Ingrassia plans to target crimes with higher recidivism rates and believes judicial discretion should be restored. “We need to put the scales of justice back into our judges’ hands and take it away from our over-politicized District Attorneys,” he stated.

In his concluding remarks, Ingrassia called for change and community support. 

“We need change now. I want to be that change. I want to be your voice in Albany,” he declared, reflecting on his lifetime of volunteerism and community service. He urged the people of Sullivan County and District 100 to support his campaign, saying, “I’m going to need your help. I’m going to need your support. I will need your guidance. I will need you to tell my story to everyone that you meet. What I need right now is, I need you.”