MIDDLETOWN – Last week, the Sullivan County Republican Committee endorsed Camille O’Brien of Senator Peter Oberacker’s (NY-51) office for the vacant 100th Assembly District seat left by the retiring 20-year Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther. 

On Monday, February 26, the Orange County Republican Committee endorsed Lou Ingrassia for that same Assembly seat, meaning it will go to a Republican Primary. 

Assembly District 100 serves most of Sullivan County as well as the Town of Wallkill and the City of Middletown in Orange County. 

According to Orange County Republican Committee Chairwoman Courtney Canfield Greene, it goes to a primary if anyone circulates petitions, which she said Ingrassia will certainly do. She said that Tuesday, February 27, was the first day to begin circulating petitions.  

The winner of the Primary will go up against Democratic nominee Paula Kay for Assembly District 100 in November. 

Greene said that the weighted votes were 3,613 in favor of Ingrassia, with Dave Furlin of Wallkill receiving 56.5 and O’Brien receiving 34. When you total up the weighted votes between Orange and Sullivan Counties, Ingrassia got the overwhelming support of the Republican Committee as a whole - 6,354.5 to O’Brien’s 3,898.5. 

“I think Lou is a phenomenal candidate and will do very well representing the voters of the 100th Assembly District,” Greene said. “He is a family man, is community-minded and always has the interest of others in his heart. I know he works hard at anything he sets his mind to and he accomplishes great things.”

Ingrassia has been the Town of Wallkill Commissioner of Public Works since 2013 and has been with the Town of Wallkill Water & Sewer Department since 1986, where he rose to Superintendent in 2008. 

Ingrassia has also been involved with public service for many years as he is currently the Commissioner of Howells Fire District which he has been the Chief of multiple times and a 42-year member. 

Howells Fire District is the third-largest fire district in Orange County and covers parts of the Town of Mamakating in Sullivan County as well at the Towns of Wallkill and Mount Hope in Orange County. 

“So I have footprints in Sullivan County,” Ingrassia said. “I have a long history in Sullivan County.”

In fact, Ingrassia’s father, Louis Sr., served as an Assemblyman 50 years ago in the 98th District, which at the time served Sullivan County. 

Ingrassia is also a past Orange County Deputy Fire Coordinator and is a member of several firefighting associations at the state and county levels. 

As a community leader, Ingrassia is also a board member of Hudson Valley Honor Flight, an active member of the Middletown Lodge of Elks and a past Logistics Chairman of Hudson Valley March of Dimes Walk America. 

“Some of the things that I pride myself on,” Ingrassia said at the Sullivan County Republican Committee meeting last week, “are decades of public service and decades volunteerism. One of the of the best things I’ve ever heard is, ‘What have you done when nobody is watching?’ I’ve done a lot of things when nobody is watching and I’m proud of every bit of it.”

Ingrassia said that he doesn’t look to be put on a pedestal and his goal is to do the best he can for the most amount of people that he can while making a difference.