NEWBURGH – With less than two weeks until the mid-term elections, Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-18) and his challenger, Republican Jackie Auringer, faced each other for the first time in person Thursday night.
The two candidates went head-to-head at the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Congressional Candidate Forum at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh.
Open to the public and moderated by Chamber President Heather Bell, the event drew a cross section of spectators from across the district, who filled about three quarters of the Aquinas Hall Theatre.
Both candidates read an opening statement and were each asked the same series of questions, relating to campaign issues that included Business and Economic Climate, Workforce Development, Affordability and Housing as well as Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy.
When asked about taxes and regulation, Ryan, who is seeking a third term, responded with the consistency of the priorities of his platform–focused largely on undoing the federal policies of the Trump Administration.
“We chose to give more than a trillion-dollar tax cut to the top one percent in this country. Half went to the top point-one percent,” said Ryan. “Essentially, those cuts were paid for by cutting healthcare. We have to roll that back and give tax relief to the middle class.”
Auringer is a businesswoman from Ulster County has never held public office. Her campaign platform has focused on affordability, accountability and opportunity.
“I’m not in favor of an 18.75 percent tax where I live in Ulster County for people making over $250,000 individually and over $500,000 jointly,” said Auringer. “It’s obviously going to hit small businesses, our doctors, people who make that much and we’ve seen this ‘tax the rich’ game before. We push people from the city to Palm Beach County and then we have the governor begging them to come back because we lost that tax base.”
Throughout the forum, Auringer consistently took jabs at Ryan, a West Point graduate, who served two combat tours in Iraq.
At one point, she said Ryan hurt small businesses by allowing outside developers into Ulster County while serving as county executive. In another rebuttal, she questioned his devotion to the region for sending his children to schools in Washington D.C.
“We need to cut the red tape. We need to focus on cutting insurance costs and operating costs and what it takes to do business here,” said Auringer. “I support reforming new York’s Scaffold Law, which my opponent has neglected to help with.”
Ryan admitted that the Scaffold Law is an ongoing debate.
“This legislation was put in place for worker safety, which has to be first and foremost, given the dangers that go along with large scale projects,” said Ryan. “I am with the workers, not the real estate developers.”
When asked about business and the economic climate, Ryan emphasized the need to repeal tariffs put in place by President Trump.
“Tariffs are taxes– particularly when we talk about small businesses, said Ryan. They are driving up the costs of everything, and we need to make sure that those return tariff dollars go to small business and not mega corporations.”
Ryan emphasized the need to bring mortgage rates down, to increase the supply of housing, to repeal the recent healthcare cuts and to stop the war in Iran.
In response to a question about energy, Auringer stated that the Indian Point Energy Center should be re-opened.
“I believe in modernizing the grid and in conducting environmental reviews that are based on current studies.”
Although both candidates said they oppose the development of data centers in the region, Auringer criticized Ryan for his previous tech business ventures.
“Ryan built his career on data, AI and surveillance with different companies,” said Auringer. “Right now, he owns six-figure stocks in AI data companies. He speaks out against Elon Musk, but he owns six-figures in Tesla as well.”
At times, the candidates’ exchange became heated.
Ryan referenced last week’s online debate between himself and Aurginer, conducted by the Daily Freeman. Auringer reportedly made her opening statement and then left the session.
“We had a debate a week ago, and one of us stayed through it. This is a forum. I think you should respect the format.”
When asked about the future of the region, both candidates stated that the greatest economic opportunity for Orange County and the Hudson Valley lies in the future of Stewart Aiport. Both made reference to a recent proposal that could make Stewart International Airport a candidate site to host the proposed United State Space Academy.
“I get very frustrated when the Republican Party talks about fiscal responsibility, adds $4 trillion to the debt and then bankrupts the future for our kids,” said Ryan. “We need to roll that back, get the debt under control, and it begins by making sure that every person, including corporations, pay their fair share in taxes.”
“I’m not a career politician,” said Auringer. “I was bribed to drop out. I’ve been tapped. I’ve been bullied. I’ve been overlooked, and I’m still standing here and fighting for you guys.”
District 18 includes all of Orange and most of Ulster and Dutchess counties. The winner in the November 3rd election will serve two years.
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