For Equality, Racial Justice, Decency, Support Sen. Harckham
As Election Day nears, Putnam County residents have much to consider besides voting for president. Locally, voters face a choice between incumbent state Sen. Pete Harckham and his opponent, Rob Astorino. For those who believe in equality, racial justice and basic human decency, the choice should not be difficult.
As the founder of Putnam Pride, I monitor candidates’ records on LGBTQ+ rights closely. Sen. Harckham has voted for legislation prohibiting gender identity or expression discrimination and the addition of transgender protections to New York’s Hate Crimes Law. He voted to ban conversion therapy and to abolish “gay panic” as an excuse for assault and murder. He established the LGBTQ Youth and Young Adult Suicide Prevention Task Force. In June he spoke at Putnam Pride’s march with Putnam for Black Lives – the first public pride event in Putnam County – and has been a staunch ally while in office.
Rob Astorino is on record opposing same-sex marriage. He received $85,000 in donations from an anti-LGBTQ+ advocate who believes LGBTQ parents should not have equal rights. Astorino is also one of Donald Trump’s key supporters and admitted to signing a non-disclosure agreement preventing him from “disparaging” the president.
He’s a failed gubernatorial candidate more concerned with his career than the needs of the Hudson Valley.
If you know or love any LGBTQ+ person, if you believe in fighting the opioid crisis – one of Pete’s core platforms – having clean water or believe that schools and veterans’ programs deserve more funding, please vote for Pete Harckham.
Eileen McDermott
Putnam Pride
Brewster
