Gabrielle "Gabi" Madden is expected to announce sometime soon for the Democratic nomination in the 103rd Assembly District currently occupied by freshman legislator Sarahana Shrestha.

The general public could be forgiven for asking, “Who?” at this early stage of the game. In fact, she’s “been making the rounds” among Democratic officials and committee members for several weeks now.

Shrestha, too, has been making the rounds. At times, the two candidates may have bumped into each other on what can legitimately be called the campaign trail.

While just 28, Madden presents a noteworthy resume. She started in politics out of college as a junior staffer to former assemblymember Kevin Cahill.

“Despite her age,” Cahill said, “Gabby showed a real talent for constituent services.” After a few years, she rose to chief of staff in Cahill’s Kingston office.

From there, Madden joined the staff of state Sen. James Skoufis, Democrat of Orange County. She left at the end of last year as his deputy chief of staff to pursue fulltime her quest for an Assembly seat.

Skoufis no doubt sent the young candidate on her way with his blessings, having been elected to the Assembly at age 24 in 2011.

While her plans were set, Madden may have been encouraged in turn by the election of Will Truitt, 28, as chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature. Truitt, a Republican from Hyde Park, was first elected to the legislature at 20. Madden has never held elected office.

As an aside, recently retired county legislator Ken Ronk, R-Wallkill, was barely 20 when he first won election. He was elected legislature chairman by his peers at 30.

Ronk ran unopposed for Shawangunk town supervisor last November, sparing him those long trips to the county office building. His home is across the street from town hall.

Back to Madden: All politics being local, Madden carries a familiar name: two, actually. Her parents are the late Bill Madden, a Daily Freeman photographer for over 20 years, and Cecilia Savona of the Ulster/Dutchess restaurant dynasty.

In addition, her mother married former long time Kingston alderman/legislator Peter Loughran some years after Bill’s sudden death.

To say Gabi is well-connected locally is an understatement.

Shrestha, by contrast, had fewer local ties when she burst on the scene early in 2022 to successfully challenge Cahill in that year’s Democratic primary. With a ground game unseen since Sherman’s march through Georgia and a war chest reported more than $800,000, Shrestha downed Cahill by 538 votes in comparatively heavy voting for a primary. That team, mostly Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the national lobbying group called For the Many, will be in play for this campaign.

Cahill says he has no intention of attempting to reclaim the seat he held for 24 years, and I believe him. Besides, under the rules of the state administrative judgeship he assumed a year ago, he’s not supposed to be involved in partisan politics. This would not rule out the occasional novena for his former chief of staff, however.

It could be that other Democratic challengers could surface in the run-up to nominating conventions in March. County Comptroller March Gallagher always comes to mind as does County Executive Jen Metzger. Former Esopus Supervisor Shannon Harris gets mentioned as well.

Shrestha can only hope that a bunch of challengers emerge to contest her second term, there being nothing better for an incumbent than a divided opposition. Hey. That’s how Lincoln, Wilson and Clinton got elected.

No, this is shaping up as a two-horse race. Let the games begin!

Meanwhile, at the Fair Street Sausage Factory …

Ulster County Legislature Chairman-elect Peter Criswell made no mention of restoring the balance of power between the county legislature and the executive in brief comments at last week’s organizational meeting. But there was rebellion of sorts on the floor of the legislature, one regarding the most routine of organizational meeting matters.

On the agenda were a pair of bond authorization resolutions totaling some $50 million to cover cashflow issues at the beginning of the year.

Finance Committee Chairman John Gavaris, D-Ellenville, objected. Why, he asked of fellow colleagues, should we be borrowing money when we have $135 million of uncommitted surplus on hand?

He asked for a long roll call. Ten of the 22 legislators present voted with the finance chairman; 12 were needed for passage.

Call that progress. A year ago, such a challenge would not have been raised.