When Madden announced her campaign earlier this year, she presented herself as a more moderate alternative to Shrestha, a Democratic Socialist. Madden claims Shrestha isn’t doing enough to pass bills, connect with local officials, or bring money to the 103rd District.
“I wasn’t seeing a community approach," she adds. "I was chatting with mayors and supervisors, school superintendents, library directors, and no one had a line of communication or even an introduction with their current incumbent.”
Madden is a Kingston native who has worked as an aide for State Senator James Skoufis and former Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, who served the 103rd District for more than 20 years before losing the Democratic nomination to Shrestha in 2022.
Shrestha, who grew up in Nepal and is the state’s first Nepali-American Assemblymember, says her office works one-on-one with residents all the time, and pushed multiple bills through the legislature – including some left over from Cahill, such as a recent bill creating a November holiday for abolitionist Sojourner Truth. Shrestha dismisses Madden’s campaign as a revenge run backed by the mainstream Democratic Party.
“It does feel like some people felt like I was out of line, that they should take this seat back, and that I do not deserve to have this seat, and that [2022] was probably a fluke," says Shrestha. "And we are trying to prove all those things wrong.”
The two candidates do agree on some things. Both list public healthcare and housing among their top concerns. Shrestha has long been a proponent of “good cause” eviction, which restricts the conditions under which landlords can evict tenants and raise rent. A version of that, with multiple exemptions, passed with the state budget this year. Madden says neither version, however, tackles the specific housing issues in the Hudson Valley. She stresses a need for increased housing stock and support for accessory dwelling units.
“We need affordable housing, senior housing, as well as workforce housing. And so, we know that we’re going to have to work with developers," Madden explains. "I think that the ADUs, increasing housing stock, and taking those more unique and creative approaches to the issues here in Ulster and Dutchess is really how I would go about addressing the housing crisis here in our district."
In recent weeks, Shrestha has teamed up with State Senator Michelle Hinchey of the 41st District to promote the “Hudson Valley Power Authority Act,” which would authorize New York to take over Central Hudson and turn it into a publicly-owned utility. Shrestha has held multiple town halls this year on the idea of “democratizing” the power grid.
“We want to protect people with short-term solutions, but if we want to set it right, we need to pass something like our Hudson Valley Power Authority Act," Shrestha notes. "Because we don’t think that energy should have ever been in the hands of corporate utilities to begin with, that also happen to be monopolies.”
Madden says she supports a replacement for Central Hudson down the line, but right now, her focus is on capping delivery fees, differentiating the fee structure between gas and electric, and making Central Hudson pay to improve its infrastructure before New York steps in.
Shrestha has been endorsed by Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Michaelle Solages, 34th District Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, Village of New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers, and organizations like the New York State Nurses Association. Madden has the endorsement of her former bosses, Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, Woodstock Town Supervisor Bill McKenna, and Gardiner Town Supervisor Marybeth Majestic.
Ask Shrestha, and Madden has the support of another group: real estate developers, through the New York Women Lead PAC. While the PAC has gained support from women’s groups in the past, this year it received significant funding from real estate developers like the Brodsky Organization, according to a recent report by The City. Shrestha says developers are spending against her and other Democratic Socialists because she supports “good cause” eviction.
“They know that I’m not somebody that they can control. So if they see that I have an opponent, they’re just going to put money into that opponent," Shrestha explains.
Shrestha voted against the part of this year’s New York state budget that included the tenant protection measure, saying it didn’t go far enough.
In a statement responding to Shrestha's claims, Madden says in part: "My opponent has a habit of conflating landlords, developers, realtors and labeling them all as bad actors. My goal is to find solutions to our housing challenges, not exploit people's suffering with empty rhetoric. We need to move past a NIMBY ["not in my backyard"] mindset and acknowledge the fact that we need more housing supply of all types, affordable, workforce, and senior. In order to achieve such, Government must partner with housing advocates, developers and building trades to ensure we maximize sustainable development to meet our communities growing needs."
In yet another race that has showcased factions within the Democratic Party, Madden insists her campaign is not really about progressives vs. moderates.
“I see myself as a progressive Democrat, but I also see myself as common sense and effective," she says. "So, at the end of the day, who do you want to represent you? Someone that’s gonna deliver results and real relief that’s going to impact your quality of life on day to day, or someone that’s gonna talk the talk but not walk the walk?”
In other key primaries Tuesday, Columbia County Supervisor Claire Cousin is challenging Assemblymember Didi Barrett for the Democratic nomination in the 106th District. Democratic Assemblymember Maryjane Shimsky faces a bid by her predecessor, former Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, in the 92nd District. In the 42nd Senate District, Monroe Councilwoman Dorey Houle and Timothy Mitts are competing for the Conservative Party nomination. And in the Democratic Primary for New York’s 16th Congressional District, incumbent Jamaal Bowman is up against Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
