TOWN OF NEWBURGH – An already contentious Town of Newburgh election season took another turn Friday when Joshua Huckabee, the partner of Democratic Orange County Legislator Stephen Hunter, accused Republican supervisor candidate Scott Manley of homophobia, despite Manley having a gay son and gay brother.
Hunter later apologized in a private social media message to Manley’s 32-year-old son, Dylan Manley, who is gay. Hunter confirmed the message but did not further comment on his partner’s dig. Huckabee, who also accused Manley of being a racist, did not return a message seeking comment for this story. Manley’s partner, Bella Cruz, is Puerto Rican.
“It is very hurtful to me, especially since my son, who I love, is gay,” said Manley, who had one of his campaign signs vandalized with a swastika this week. Manley is Jewish and has family who died during the Holocaust.
“My son is a part of me, and I can’t believe that they would say something like that about me,” Manley added. “They are like bullies, and there is no room for behavior like this in politics or our community.”
In a Facebook post, Dylan Manley said Huckabee made the comments in a Reddit post approximately a month ago. Manley’s family learned of the post this week.
“Say what you want about my dad’s politics – he’s a politician running for office; that’s what you should be doing,” Dylan Manley wrote on Facebook. “But unfounded accusations of homophobia (from a gay man, no less) are crossing a line.”
Dylan Manley said he was lucky to be in his family as a gay man. The Manley family has been very active in local Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) chapters. Scott Manley’s mother, Anita, founded the PFLAG chapter in Kingston. PFLAG is the largest organization in the country dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.
“Not only are my dad’s parents the best allies you can ever hope for in a grandparent, but my dad has also been an incredible supporter as well,” Manley said. “I came out to him when I was 17, and he had the best response I could have asked for – “ok, so?” He didn’t care – I’m his son, and I’m happy, and that’s all that matters.”
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