This past Saturday, Sept. 17, the 12th annual “Gathering on the Green” occurred in Clinton. The event was co-hosted by The Town of Kirkland Democratic Committee and the Hamilton College Democrats.

The event was a rally for Democratic candidates running for several different levels of office within the 10 different voting districts that make up the town of Kirkland. Approximately 100 people attended, in addition to one donkey.

Perhaps the most noteworthy attendee was Anthony Brindisi, the Democratic nominee for the 22nd Congressional District of New York. He seeks to replace Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R).

Brindisi, 38, is a native of Utica, New York. He received his J.D. from Albany Law School, went on to be a three-term State Assembly member — a position which he continues to hold. Jobs, economy, education, and health care have been the focus of his campaign.

According to Ian Baize ’18, co-President of Hamilton College Democrats, “Anthony Brindisi is a promising and passionate candidate, and the organizational efforts already underway can help make this a competitive district with a real shot of flipping once again,” as it almost did in the 2016 election.

Brindisi’s challenger in the upcoming election, Claudia Tenney, is a Republican incumbent in a red district. Tenney has a background in law and owns her own practice in Clinton, in addition to the communications company Tenney Media Group. She has also worked as the Consulate General of Yugoslavia. Despite having lost the 2014 Congressional Republican primary, she won in 2016, replacing the more moderate Republican Richard Hanna upon his retirement.

Other candidates at the event were running for positions at more local levels. These included: Bob Meelan for Town Supervisor, Garry Colarusso for Town Council, Amy Smith for Town Clerk, Chad Davis for County Legislator, Jon Scott for Highway Superintendent, Jay Williams for Town Justice, Sarah McCullough for Receiver of Taxes, and Julie Giruzzi-Mosca for Oneida County Family Court Judge.

In speaking to the importance of this event, Baize explained that local politics should not be dismissed because they offer important opportunities for engagement, stating, “local politics are fascinating and hugely important even if they’re not as flashy as the stuff we see in the national news every day. Activist groups and local campaigns are always looking for volunteers and interns, and getting involved at the town or county level is a great way to see for yourself what real politics looks like.”

Considering the fact that local politics can often have “more immediate impacts for life in and around Clinton than anything at the federal level,” it becomes even more necessary to be attentive to local political matters.