Democratic Newburgh mayoral candidate Omari Shakur announced Saturday that he will join forces with incumbent Mayor Judy Kennedy in an effort to get her reelected.
Shakur finished third in the primary vote that took place on September 10 with 172 votes. Jonathan Jacobson won the primary, but Kennedy will appear on the general election ballot as an Independence Party candidate.
"This is a fight to save Newburgh... this is about Newburgh united and uniting and it’s about uniting across all kinds of lines."
“The best option for us right now is to join forces with Ms. Kennedy and I’m telling all of my people that my election is over so far this year but, I want all of my people and all of our supporters to support us in our endeavor to make sure that Ms. Kennedy becomes mayor again and stays in the office,” said Shakur.
Kennedy said this election is very significant because she feels, this time, the city is at stake.
“This is a fight to save Newburgh,” said Kennedy. “This is about Newburgh united and uniting and it’s about uniting across all kinds of lines: political lines, age lines, race lines, across the street lines, all the lines because everybody that’s in this room today loves this city and we know, that together, we can make this city so much better.”
Kennedy has alleged that Jacobson is running on policies that are either disingenuous or misinformed and she publically challenged Jacobson to a debate.
“I’m throwing down the gauntlet,” said Kennedy. “I’m challenging him to a debate, right here, right now. We need to organize the venue.”
