KINGSTON >> Ulster County Democratic Party members have endorsed County Executive Michael Hein for a third term.
The nominations were made Wednesday during a convention that was unable to field a candidate to challenge Holley Carnright for District Attorney or for five of the 23 county Legislature seats.
Hein drew praise for work during his first two terms from former county Legislator Alan Lomita during his nominating speech, which contrasted the difference between local politics and higher offices.
“In this Twitter and Facebook world where Ted Cruz and Donald Trump presume to run for President and bi-partisanship seems to mean that Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos could be cell mates, it is refreshing to have a leader like Mike Hein,” he said.
Lomita credited Hein with reducing the size and cost of county government, appointing more women to top leadership position than any other county executive in the state, and making efforts to increase use of alternative energy by the county.
The County Executive position was established as part of a county charter change, with Hein in 2008 winning his first term 45,480-33,117 over Conservative-Republican candidate Len Bernardo. He was uncontested in receiving 28,673 votes in 2011 when the position became a four-year term.
“Hopefully … we made great strides in trying to make this county a better place,” he said. “Hopefully we’ve been worthy about the charter change and all the effort that went into trying to make it a more accountable and better place.”
The only other candidate endorsed for a countywide race was Anthony McGinty for county Family Court judge.
County Legislature candidates endorsed were:
* Incumbent Christopher Allen for District 2
* Incumbent Peter Loughran for District 5
* Incumbent David Donaldson for District 6
* Brian Woltman for District 7 after a runoff with Jennifer Schwartz Berky
* Roscoe Pecora for District 8
* Jonathan Ridgeway for District 9
* Gary Pregno for District 10
* Tara Fitzpatrick for District 12
* Tim Distel for District 14
* Incumbent T. J. Briggs for District 15
* Incumbent Tracey Bartels for District 16
* Jane Ann Williams for District 17
* Douglas Adams for District 18 in a runoff with incumbent Richard Parete
* Incumbent Manna Jo Greene for District 19
* Incumbent Hector Rodriguez for District 20
* Incumbent Lynn Archer for District 21
* Incumbent Legislative Chairman John Parete for District 22
* Jonathan Heppner for District 23
The seats for Districts 1, 3, 4, 11, and 13 did not have candidates endorsed during the convention but could still be filled through a petition process.