Candidates explain why they are running
Democrats eye Congressional seat held by a Republican
Seven candidates, each looking to win the 21st Congressional District Democratic primary, participated in a forum meet and greet hosted by the Saratoga County Young Democrats on Thursday night at Saratoga Springs Public Library.
Each candidate had three minutes to share why they are running for Congress, followed by an opportunity for the over 100 attendees to interact with the candidates.
The primary election takes place June 26.
Dylan Ratigan, formally of MSNBC, cited concerns about financial and political corruption to explain why he’s running for Congress.
“How did we get like this? Our liberty, our planet is at stake, and we’re talking about nonsense,” said Ratigan. “You can indulge that to a point, but when the world is changing as fast as it is, and it is changing as fastest it ever has right now. Indulging a broken political system is a matter of life and death.”
Saratoga Springs oncologist David Mastrianni followed Ratigan in the introduction portion Thursday, saying a key reason he entered the race are the issues involving healthcare.
Mastrianni said two images stick in his mind in terms of healthcare. One deals with his neighbors who didn’t have insurance for advanced cancers, and the other is patients in his office having non-negotiable prices on treatments costing $10,000.
“I think there’s a very simple change... First, allow Medicare to negotiate for drug prices and supplies and use the free market. That’s what it’s good at,” said Mastrianni. “The second thing we can do is expand it across all ages. I believe this would transform us.”
Patrick Nelson, of Stillwater who did extensive volunteer work for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, said the country is facing very important decisions over the next two decades.
“We must transition our power systems from fossil fuels to renewable energy as quickly as humanly possible,” said Nelson.
“...We need to transition away from this cultural of rabid individualism and screw you I got mine that undermines our community, that undermines our economy and says that something is OK so long as it benefits you regardless of who was hurt in the process, so that’s why I’m running for Congress.”
The format for Thursday’s forum, Dan Barusch from Saratoga County Young Democrats said, had been discussed since last year.
“We figured we would mix it up, and do a meet and greet,” said Barusch.
Don Boyajian, who lives in Cambridge, followed Nelson in the introductions, explained how he recently began representing the city of Plattsburgh along with other counties and cities in Upstate New York against pharmaceutical companies in relation to the opioid epidemic.
“We need somebody that is fighting and winning for us. Platitudes are great,” said Boyajian. “Everybody has great ideas, but we need somebody that is going to have real advocacy and be able to get results, and that’s what I want to do for you, and that’s why I’m running for Congress.”
Following Boyajian was Katie Wilson, a small business owner from Keene.
Wilson provided background on why the Democratic candidate has lost two previous times for the Congressional seat against the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican.
“They are voting on emotion. What are they going to see that is different than Stefanik, who is clearly part of the establish-
ment, who is clearly out of touch with every day life in New York 21. Who are they going to trust? Who is the girl behind the counter in Stewart’s going to vote for?,” said Wilson. “... Put our heads together and think about what the North Country is going to believe in, and who is going to give us an opportunity to take this seat back, because at the end of the day once we have the seat back, I guarantee everyone in this room is going to work as hard as they can to bring about real change and to help our neighbors and to create a better life for our children.”
Tedra Cobb said, “Congress is hurting us.” She then explained how when she ran for St. Lawrence County legislature, she beat a Republican incumbent by going door-to-door and meeting people.
Cobb then said she learned how to compromise and frugality at an early age, growing up with nine adopted siblings and one biological brother.
“Those values are the values that we need now. We need accountability and accessibility of our elected officials,” said Cobb. “We need them to show up, not just phone in.”
Emily Martz, of Saranac Lake — a former college professor and deputy director of the Adirondack North Country Association — ended the introductions, saying she would do the work “that the incumbent should have been doing all along, which is helping our small businesses expand, helping our solar and renewable industries expand, and helping to revitalize our main streets.”
“I’ll be doing this by being bold, by standing up and fighting for the issues that matter to us, that matter to the 99 percent of Americans and that’s is healthcare for everyone,” said Martz. “I am talking about medicare for all. It’s a right, and it’s good for business. Second, fighting for climate resiliency, Third, standing up for our public schools.”
The 21st Congressional District includes a portion of Saratoga County.