Letter from Henry Wager

Need for Winning Ticket

New York’s shake-up of congressional precincts has left the 21st District red and in need of a political candidate primed for a creative winning ticket. Elise Stefanik, who can’t strut her incumbency because of a historic dereliction of duty owing to January 6th, will face off against the primary victor in the contest between Matt Castelli and Matt Putorti. A moderate and progressive respectively, whoever is tapped will set in stone the Democratic party’s real chances in the general election. Boundary reform in the 21st has left Democrats less-than-optimally positioned for victory in November, yet a partnering democratic stance, like that of Matt Castelli, is the key to coalition building and the foundation of a successful campaign against Elise Stefanik.

Progressive candidates like to insinuate that moderate Democrats fail to “take a stand” on important matters. In truth, they cling to a false equivalency between tempered politics and a supposed surrender to rival views. Coalition, compromise, and a willingness to seek the support of a majority of NY-21 voters requires stances that resonate with the majority of our individual views. With the integrity of our democracy at stake, choosing to constitute the level-headedness of the central American voter is a powerful and meaningful move to save our country. In our political climate, moderation is an olive branch to democracy and could very well be the basis of the coalition which saves it.

Henry Wager
Cooperstown