NEWBURGH – City of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey, a Democrat, took to Facebook on Saturday to endorse Republican Scott Manley for Newburgh town supervisor.
But a funny thing happened on the social media platform. By Sunday, Harvey’s endorsement of Manley was gone, deleted from his Facebook page.
According to several sources, Harvey was pressured by Newburgh Democrats to remove his endorsement of Manley, who faces Democrat Stephen Krasner for the seat in November.
Manley, the Town of Newburgh’s deputy supervisor, said he was “grateful” for Harvey’s support.
City of Newburgh Democratic Chairwoman Jules Ridgeway declined to comment. Democratic Orange County Legislator Stephen Hunter and Vanessa Tirado, chairwoman of the Town of Newburgh Democratic Committee, said Harvey had “rescinded” his endorsement of Manley.
However, Harvey rebuffed Hunter and Tirado’s characterization, stating Monday night that he still supports Manley.
“I agreed to take down my post,” Harvey said. “But I am still endorsing Scott Manley for Town Supervisor because I don’t know the other candidate. I wish the other candidate would have reached out to me prior to now. Scott Manley has been supportive of our city events. He worked diligently with me during our COVID-19 crisis.”
In his now-deleted Facebook post, Harvey wrote: “I don’t know the other candidates for the Town of Newburgh Supervisor’s race. The other candidates never reached out to the Chief Elected Official in the City of Newburgh to ask for my endorsement!”
Harvey went on to write: “ELECT SCOTT MANLEY for Town Supervisor!”
“(Manley) understands how to relate to ALL people regardless of their political party,” Harvey added. “He shows up for EVERYTHING in his town or outside his hometown. He is everywhere in our community at large supporting real people when there is no election.”
Harvey also wrote that Manley “doesn’t care if you’re Black… white… Hispanic or Republican or Democrat!”
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