Serino, a Republican, defeated Democratic Navy veteran Tommy Zurhellen with 56 percent of the vote. They were vying to replace current County Executive William O’Neil, who has been serving the remainder of the term left by former Republican County Executive Marc Molinaro, now in Congress.
Speaking with WAMC in Poughkeepsie alongside Republican County Clerk Brad Kendall, who defeated Democrat Kenya Gadsden Tuesday, Serino says she’s humbled by her victory.
“It’s a humbling feeling, and I just can’t wait to get to work. There’s so many important to issues for us to work on," she adds. "Brad and I traveled the county together, and we worked very hard, and talked to a lot of folks out there. And there’s folks that are having a tough time right now because of the economy and just a lot of things that we’re gonna have to work on. But really looking forward to hit the ground running.”
A spokesperson for Zurhellen thanked supporters in a statement to WAMC, adding: “Unfortunately, this grassroots campaign had neither the name recognition nor finances of County Executive-elect Serino’s, but we had a message that resonated with over 29,000 voters. We congratulate Ms. Serino and wish her the best in her new role.”
Serino does have a long history in Dutchess County. She owns Serino Realty in Hyde Park, and before her work as a state senator, she completed stints on both the Hyde Park town board and the county legislature. Serino represented New York’s 41st District, including parts of Dutchess County, for eight years before redistricting threw her into a losing battle with Democratic State Senator Michelle Hinchey in 2022.
This year, she ran on a platform that included strengthening the local economy, infrastructure improvements, and public safety. Zurhellen, meanwhile, pledged to combat food insecurity, support veterans services, and implement affordable housing programs.
Looking to her first days in office, Serino lists public safety and homelessness among her top priorities. She says she plans to bring a community-based approach to the office.
"Community engagement is so important to me," notes Serino. "My senate office, they actually used it as the model for constituent services, and I take a lot of pride in that. And that's something that I look forward to doing with the public. Having roundtables, and trying to work on the issues at hand."
In other Election Day outcomes, Dutchess County is set to have its first Democratic district attorney in decades. Democrat Anthony Parisi came out on top in a close race with Republican Matt Weishaupt, garnering just 51 percent of the vote. In a statement to WAMC, Parisi says he plans to focus on police and community partnerships to combat gun violence, adding: “I promise to do more to improve our criminal justice system and keep our communities safe.”
Parisi will replace longtime Republican DA William Grady, who is retiring after roughly four decades in office.
