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Rockland Primary Race Rundown: What To Know

ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. - With September local primary elections taking place tomorrow, here is a rundown of the candidates in each local race.

State Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee

State Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee

Photo Credit: Ellen Jaffee/Facebook

Senate races: In the 39th Senate District—Haverstraw, Stony Point, and parts of Orange County—Christopher Eachus (D) faces a write-in challenge on the Working Families line. There is also a write-in on the Women's Equality line.

Assembly races:

97th District: Incumbent Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D) faces a Democratic primary challenge from Thomas Gulla in the 97th Legislative District that includes part of Ramapo and Orangetown. The term is for two years.

A five-time incumbent and former Rockland County Legislator and Suffern trustee, Jaffee has been involved with reform legislation in the East Ramapo Central School District among other issues in recent years. Gulla is currently on the village planning board in Airmont and previously ran unsuccessful mayoral campaign in the village back in 2015.

Jaffee is also the candidate for the Working Families Line and faces a write-in challenge. There is also a write-in for the Green Party in this district.

98th District: There are two primary battles in the 98th Legislative District, which includes portions of Ramapo and Orange County.

Current County Legislator and former East Ramapo school board president Aron Wieder will face off against Krystal Serrano of Monroe in the Democratic primary. Serrano is also on Women’s Equality ticket and faces a write-in challenge there.

Meanwhile incumbent Karl Brabanec (R-Orange) faces a challenge in the Republican primary from John Allegro, a leader of United Monroe, a local advocacy group. Prior to being elected to the assembly in 2014 Brabanec served as the town supervisor in Deerpark.

Brabanec is also on the Conservative and Reform tickets where he faces write-in challenges. Both Wieder and Brabanec will face off on the Independence Party line.

County Court Judge: There is a three-way race for an open Rockland County Court Judge seat on the Working Families line between Larry Schwartz, Pat Loftus, and Kevin Russo.

Schwartz is a currently a private practice attorney and former county assistant district attorney; Loftus is an Orangetown town justice and presides over the county misdemeanor court; Russo is a village justice in West Haverstraw and former acting town justice in Stony Point and Clarkstown. The term is for 10 years

Clarkstown Town Council: Daniel Caprara and Pranob Thakur Jr. will face off on the Working Families line for an unexpired seat on the Clarkstown Town Council. Councilwoman Adrienne Carey was appointed in May to fill the seat vacated by Valeria Moldow.

Nyack Village Trustees: Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Nyack Board of Trustees that each carry a two-year term. Trustees Don Hammond and Louise Parker will square off in the Democratic primary against Donna Lightfoot Cooper and Barbara Cohig. 

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