By Nadine Cafaro

TOM Republicans choose Voss and Hoyt over incumbent Brown

Posted 3/1/23

It came as a shock to Kristen Brown, sitting councilwoman for the Town of Montgomery, when she failed to receive an endorsement from the Town of Montgomery Republican Committee last week.

Instead …

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By Nadine Cafaro

TOM Republicans choose Voss and Hoyt over incumbent Brown

Posted

It came as a shock to Kristen Brown, sitting councilwoman for the Town of Montgomery, when she failed to receive an endorsement from the Town of Montgomery Republican Committee last week.

Instead councilwoman Cindy Voss and Mark Hoyt were endorsed, which gives both candidates full public support from the Republican Committee. The Town of Montgomery Republican Committee has 35 members who meet monthly, and during election season, these members vote to endorse and carry petitions for specific candidates.

Chairman of the committee Bill Kirnan stated that the committee believes that they always vote for the most well-suited candidates.

“Those would be the most qualified,” said Kirnan, about Hoyt and Voss.

Voss recently rejoined the town board after a year’s absence. She was appointed to her old position in January to fill a vacancy created when former Town Supervisor Brian Maher was elected to the state assembly and Councilman Ron Feller became supervisor. Hoy also served on the town board, until losing to Brown four years ago.

“I got on the board four years ago on the Democratic line because I knew the Comprehensive Plan needed to be updated,” said Brown, who runs a farm locally with her husband.

“Moving forward, I did switch political parties. I was looking at the Republican or the Conservative Party but really opted for the Republican Party because I felt that it aligned more closely with my values at the time,” Brown mentioned.

She describes the results as disheartening and considers to have made great progress during her time already on the board. “It’s very upsetting [because] I have done a lot of good work for the town. I was involved in the Comprehensive Plan Committee as an active committee member. I am the liaison for the town with the ambulance corps, they’re trying to move to advanced life support services for our residents,” said Brown, who also mentioned helping pass the agritourism law as a farmer herself. “I also have worked very closely with agritourism on trying to ensure that it protects the farmers and preserve open space for them to continue to flourish and just basically survive these changing times of farming moving forward.”

Because of the results, Brown will have to petition to get herself on the ballot. This includes forcing a primary, which she can accomplish with enough signatures.

“I interviewed with the Republican Party and I interviewed with the Conservative Party. Both parties decided to endorse Mark Hoyt and Cindy Voss, so that was a tough blow for me as the incumbent because I am still on the board. I am still trying to move this town forward and without the endorsement, that makes me look at forcing a primary,” Brown mentioned.

As a mother and working farmer who’s looking at a busy spring, Brown is depending on some of her supporters to help her get support and signatures. “There are people that are registered Republicans that are willing to help me go door to door to get those signatures,” she mentioned. It’s important to note that people obtaining signatures for her must be of the Republican party and petitions need to be completed by the end of March.

“I really thought that they would have taken a look more at facts than trying to get somebody of their own back in office,” said Brown.

The committee also endorsed Village of Montgomery Mayor Stephen Brescia for Town of Montgomery Supervisor and Frederick G. Gorss for Town Justice.

Currently the Democratic Committee is in discussion with potential candidates and plan to have a decision on endorsements by early next week.