The open warfare between Hurley Democrats probably isn’t of much interest to anybody outside the historic town of about 6,200 souls, but something like it could be coming to a town near you. I think they call it democracy and it ain’t pretty.

Hurley may be unique in that its town board is entirely Democratic in a town that just a decade ago was solidly Republican. It would appear that Hurley Democrats, having fought for so many years to take power in the town, are suffering from an embarrassment of riches. County Democrats beware: it could happen to you.

At the top of the ticket, supervisor Melinda McKnight, just 15 months into a two-year term, is being challenged by councilman Mike Boms, with whom she often disagrees.

There are actually two slates of Democratic candidates running in the June 27 primary. McKnight’s team, called “One Hurley,” was endorsed by town Democratic committee members last January. Boms heads up the opposing ticket, “Keep Hurley Hurley.”

It would appear the Hurley Deuce got off to a faster start: their lawn signs are all over the place.

But social media may determine the outcome of these contests. Fed by trolls on the web, this is turning into one nasty internecine spit fest. Typical of web politics, small things get both sides crazy.

For instance, the town’s website put out a glowing pro-administration report on Memorial Day activities, mixing politics where it doesn’t belong, but left out, deliberately, say critics, town highway superintendent Mike Shultis. Shultis, who is running without opposition, is widely credited for his department’s “clean sweep” along the parade route. He deserved at least a passing mention, ya’ think?

The catalyst for all this, other than personal feelings between candidates, seems to be a fundamental change in how town candidates are nominated for office. In practice dating to colonial days, political parties held caucuses to nominate their candidates. Unless there was some serious controversy going on or scandal, it usually took only a handful of party members to determine a slate in the fall. There were no primaries.

In recent years, surging Democrats have embraced the primary system, thereby opening up the process to not just some steamy town hall among a small percentage of enrollees, but to any party member. Sixteen towns (out of 20) now offer primaries, according to the county board of elections.

“It’s more democratic that way,” said Democratic elections commissioner Ashley Torres, herself a Hurley native who suffered through the lean years with her party.

But this deep divide between Hurley Democrats, sure to linger long after the primary, offers what’s left of a once-powerful Republican majority a unique opportunity to maybe take a few seats back in November.

Here and There

Bulging with surplus, Ulster legislators voted 15-7 to petition the state to renew its special one percent sales tax in effect since 2009. With an estimated $85 million in unallocated surplus, couldn’t the county afford to give the one percent back to its constituents?

Under state law, counties are allowed to enact a three percent sales tax on their own. Anything above that requires state sanction.

Big-spending legislators Michelle Hinchey and Sarahana Shrestha will carry the bill.

Ran into Democratic district attorney candidate Emmanuel (Manny) Nneji standing quietly near a Civil War cannon under a shade tree at Memorial Day services in Kingston on Monday.

Apparently not much of a back-slapper, “The Ninja,” as he’s known around the courthouse, is in his first campaign (against Republican Mike Kavanagh). He’ll make the rounds, but is counting on the massive advantage in Democratic enrollment to carry him to victory. Down by some 25,000 enrollees when the polls open, Kavanagh is courting on the county’s 34,000 independents to close the gap. Having left the Republican Party, but grateful for their endorsement, the son of former DA Mike Kavanagh is now officially an independent voter.

Former army sergeant Bob Nanz gave a memorable address at Kingston services. He spoke to the futility of war, as many do, but this is what I took away from it. After talking about the 58,000 men and women killed “for nothing” (including several in his own unit), Nanz, a combat infantryman, finished with, “We (veterans) appreciate when people thank us for our service at events like this, but we did it for them, we did it for our country.”

“We did it for them.” They did it for us.

Can’t say I gave much weight to Dutchess comptroller Robin Lois, a Democrat, taking Republican congressman Marc Molinaro to task for working the system while county exec to secure an SUV for official travel back in ’21.

A questionable but apparently legal lease deal? That’s all they got?

This isn’t to say county comptrollers shouldn’t keep a close watch on the bottom line, only that this one had the foul stench of partisan politics.

Knee-capper Andrew Cuomo used similar tactics when he ran against Molinaro for governor in ’18. Molinaro carried every upstate county in his 19 th congressional district, except Ulster.

Speaking of Molinaro, a headline read that the Republican congressman said he’d vote for the (Republican) debt ceiling bill. That’s news?