KINGSTON, N.Y. — Democrats are in the process of interviewing potential candidates to replace District Attorney David Clegg, who is not seeking election to a second term, while the head of the GOP says his party is once again squarely behind Michael Kavanagh for election as the county’s top prosecutor.
To date, Kavanagh, who came within 77 votes of winning the seat in 2019, and political newcomer Jarrid Blades are the only two individuals who have announced plans to run for the office.
The chief assistant district attorney under former District Attorney Holley Carnight, Kavanagh recently left the Republican party and is now not enrolled in any political party.
Blades is a registered Democrat seeking his party line on the November ballot.
Republican Party Chairman Ken Ronk said he expects the party to nominate Kavanagh as its candidate during the party’s Feb. 25 nominating convention despite Kavanagh’s decision to leave the GOP.
“I have every intention as the Republican chairman of supporting Mike Kavanagh,” said Ronk, who also serves as the Ulster County Legislature’s minority leader.
“We thought he was the right guy years ago, we think he’s the right guy now. I don’t care what letter he has after his name,” Ronk said.
Kavanagh said he decided to leave the GOP to take politics out of the District Attorney’s Office.
“I really believe that the DA’s office has to be apolitical, it can not be affiliated with any party’s interest,” Kavanagh said in a Jan. 17 interview. “Being non-enrolled, I’m trying to show that commitment.”
Kavanagh said he is “open to any and all parties,” and is “hoping for the support of everybody.”
From 2017 to 2019, Blades worked as an assistant district attorney in Ulster County. Since 2019, he has worked in the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office as the chief civil administrator and the commander of the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team, also known as URGENT.
Democratic Committee Chairwoman Kelleigh McKenzie said Democrats “are in the process of vetting candidates to run” for office.
She said the party has tentatively scheduled its convention for Feb. 22 when it will nominate candidates for the party’s line.