Building a Better Columbia County, New York, Together

We are neighbors fighting for working families, local farms, and sustainable growth in the Hudson Valley

Three volunteers sitting at a table outside a storefront with Democratic Committee signs and stickers, with a window reflecting pedestrians and city buildings.

Six people standing together, smiling, at a political campaign event with signs supporting Josh Riley for Congress on the wall behind them.

VISION

Columbia County, where we care for each other and our environment; where everyone has access to food, a home, education, health care and a job.

CCDC Mission

To elect Democrats and work for the benefit of All

Join Us

Crowd of people participating in a protest or rally, holding signs with messages like 'Stronger Together.' Many people are dressed warmly, suggesting cold weather, with some wearing hats and scarves. The background shows trees and brick buildings, indicating a city or town setting.

A diverse group of people gathered outdoors in front of a large tree during a protest or rally, holding signs with messages about social or political issues, with some wearing hats, sunglasses, and masks.

Three smiling people sitting at a table outside a storefront, with campaign signs and stickers on a laptop in front of them.

A group of diverse people at a protest or rally, holding a sign that reads 'Fooders Against Austhoriarians,' with some smiling and wearing casual outdoor clothing in an urban setting.

Photos by Steven Taylor

Hands forming a heart shape with a rainbow pride flag in the background, symbolizing LGBTQ+ pride and love.

A large indoor gathering with many people seated at long wooden tables and standing, some clapping, in a space with a high wooden ceiling and open sides. Banners with political and local organization logos hang in the background, indicating a community or political event.

NEWS & EVENTS

Illustration of a carnival fair with tents, Ferris wheel, carousel, hot air balloon, fireworks, and people enjoying the event. It promotes the Columbia County Fair celebrating its 185th anniversary from September 2 to 7, from 10 am to 10 pm at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, with free entry for volunteers.

Columbia County Fair Volunteer with the County Dems

September 2 – 7

Multiple shifts per day at our table at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham. Help register voters, answer questions, share campaign information, recruit volunteers, and meet lots of people.

Sign up at https://bit.ly/ccdccountyfair2026

Volunteers receive free entry to the fair!

Riley campaign’s newest TV ad, “Bills,”which highlights Josh’s work to lower utility costs and take on the powerful utility monopolies that continue to raise rates on Upstate families.

This is an issue we hear about everywhere we go in the district, and Josh has been focused on finding real ways to bring these costs down. He’s introduced legislation to ban foreign corporations from owning American utilities, stop utility executives from getting big bonuses while raising rates on customers, and help families weatherize their homes and save up to $400 a year. He’s also been pushing back directly against proposed rate hikes from NYSEG, RG&E, and Central Hudson and working to hold these companies accountable for what families are paying.

The message behind the ad is pretty simple: Upstate families deserve lower utility bills—not bigger profits for utility monopolies.

We wanted to make sure you all had the ad and the latest on Josh’s work on this issue. Please feel free to share it with your committees, networks, and supporters!

You can share this link: Bills!

CCDC Annual Picnic

Friday, September 18

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Federation of Polish Sportsmen’s Club

400 Newman Road, Hudson

Free ~ $10/person suggested donation

Registration required at https://bit.ly/ccdcpicnic2026

Please join fellow Democrats and special guests at our annual picnic to kick off the campaign season! It’s a time to be inspired, enjoy great food, catch up with friends, and get excited to win in November!

HUDSON CAMPAIGN OFFICE OPENS!

Man speaking in front of two women in a room with white walls and an exit sign.

Rep. Josh Riley in a black polo shirt talking to an older woman wearing a white shirt, with three other women in the background at an indoor event.

You're invited to visit and canvass with us!

The New York State Democratic Party opened a campaign office in Hudson on July 25 to support our candidates in the November election, including our congressman, Rep. Josh Riley, state Senator Michelle Hinchey, Assemblymember Didi Barrett, Assembly candidate Chloe Pierce, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul.

Please visit the office at 227 Warren Street in Hudson, between Second and Third Streets. You can pick up yard signs to promote our candidates and sign up to go door to door to canvass for them.

Office Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday: 11am-8pm
Friday: 11am-6pm
Saturday-Sunday: 9am-6pm

Sign up to volunteer here:

https://www.mobilize.us/nydems2026/event/986524/

Contact Victoria Seipp if you have any questions at seipp@nydems.org.

Phonebank With Team Hinchey!

Campaign poster featuring Michelle Hinchey for state senate, with a woman in a blue dress smiling, a stylized phone in a woman's hand, and campaign information.

Help boost Sen. Michelle Hinchey's re-election campaign and the campaigns of our other candidates by joining our phone bank!

Time:Tuesdays and Thursdays 5 – 7 p.m.
Location:Virtual event
Join from anywhere
Sign up for location and more details.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Congressman Josh Riley

Congressman Riley is leading a bipartisan effort in Congress to fix the H-2A visa program, which allows farmers to hire guest workers on temporary contracts. This system has left out our many dairy farmers and apple growers in Columbia County and elsewhere.

His Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act would cut red tape and give farmers greater flexibility to respond to changing labor needs. It would also strengthen protections for immigrant farmworkers, many of whom have been a critical part of our community for decades but are now being targeted by ICE.

Another bill by Rep. Riley would push back on corruption in Washington. Among other things, his Drain the Swamp Actwould bar the president, vice president, members of Congress, and their immediate families from owning or trading stocks; ban public officials from betting on political events and other government actions in prediction markets; and forbid presidents, their immediate families, and their businesses from suing the federal government without bipartisan approval from Congress.

State Senator Michelle Hinchey

Recapping the legislative session, Senator Hinchey said it was an incredibly busy one with 61 of her bills passing the State Senate—nearly half unanimously. Of those 61 bills, 31 passed both the Senate and Assemblyand now await the governor’s signature.

Among them is the AI Labor Information Act, which would make New York the first state to make corporations be transparent about their use of AI and its impact on our workforce. Another is the Advancing the Baby Food Safety & Transparency Act. It would ban baby food with unsafe levels of heavy metals and requires manufacturers to test baby food and formula for heavy metals at least once a month and make the results public.

Four people sitting at a table during a formal meeting or conference, with a banner that says 'Protecting New Yorkers Leading the Nation' and a New York State flag in the background.

Assemblymember Didi Barrett

Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order creating the first-in-the-nation data center moratorium, modeled after Assemblymember Didi Barrett's Responsible Data Center Development Act.
This executive order creates a one-year moratorium on the construction of hyper-scale data centers in New York State, giving experts time to study the impact they have on natural resources, the energy grid, and water supply. The executive order will also explore how to protect utility ratepayers from the costs of building and operating data centers.

Assemblymember Barrett joined Governor Hochul and other elected officials, business leaders, and environmental and consumer advocates from across Upstate New York to discuss the executive order

CCDC Congratulates

Assemblymember

Didi Barrett

Collage of photos from a community event with attendees, speakers, and socializing, at a venue with wooden walls and green plants.

Another Successful Blue Wave Brunch!

Thank you to all our speakers, donors, and volunteers!

Nearly 200 supporters, elected officials, candidates, and community leaders turned out Sunday, May 17, for the Eighth Annual Blue Wave Brunch, the flagship fundraising event of the Columbia County Democratic Committee.

The event featured remarks from Lt. Governor candidate Adrienne Adams, Congressman Josh Riley, state Senator Michelle Hinchey, Assemblymember Didi Barrett, Assembly candidate Chloe Pierce, and Columbia County Sheriff Jackie Salvatore, with musical guest Tony Kieraldo.