Wappinger Falls mayor Matt Alexander sent out an email to supporters this morning officially declaring himself a candidate in the Democratic primary to take on Republican incumbent Nan Hayworth.
“Six years ago, I got off the sidelines and ran for Mayor; I am so glad I did,” Mr. Alexander said. “After working tirelessly for Wappingers Falls we have a 17% growth rate, new businesses and jobs arriving, and crime is down; our infrastructure is strong and our residents hopeful. Today, with much enthusiasm, I announce my campaign for the United States Congress.”
Mr. Alexander is the second Democrat to enter the race, and he has been making the rounds and meeting with donors and Democratic party officials both in the Hudson Valley and in Washington D.C. Rich Becker, a cardiologist and Westchester County lawmaker, has also declared.
Wappinggers Falls is near Poughkeepsie, although not by much, and as the Twitters point out, Mr. Alexander could easily be cut out of the district.
Full Alexander statement below:
‘In 2008 Democrats voted for change, in 2010 Republicans took control of the United States House of Representatives frustrated with Washington – what we’ve witnessed these past years is a broken system. My name is Matt Alexander I wanted to take a minute and introduce myself, I am the Mayor of Wappingers Falls in Dutchess County. 6 years ago, I got off the sidelines and ran for Mayor; I am so glad I did. After working tirelessly for Wappingers Falls we have a 17% growth rate, new businesses and jobs arriving, and crime is down; our infrastructure is strong and our residents hopeful. Today, with much enthusiasm, I announce my campaign for the United States Congress.
Sure, launching a campaign requires filing papers, building a website, setting up Facebook and Twitter accounts but more than anything, it requires gaining your support. We in New York’s 19th Congressional District deserve a representative in Washington that will support us, that will invest in us and that will work to make sure that all of our residents thrive. Now it’s YOUR turn to get off the sidelines, YOUR turn to make a difference by supporting me and my candidacy.
In the coming days I will be speaking throughout the district about the issues that are most important to me, if you weren’t at my kick-off speech, find it below. Over the next couple of months I want to talk about what’s important in our community and country, what we think we are doing right and what we could do better, together we are going to build our future.’
Following the announcement, Alexander commented, “Serving as Mayor of Wappingers Falls has been the greatest privilege, through hard work, investment in the town’s residents and infrastructure what was once crumbing is now being rebuilt. Six years ago I ran for office to turn my town around, I want to bring those same successes to all of the people of the 19th Congressional District as their representative in Washington.”
