At New Paltz event, the Democratic candidates differ markedly in style

Schreibman took a similar tact against Gibson, claiming his grassroots campaign would offset the Republican’s financial advantages.” I can beat Chris Gibson and the Tea Party,” he said.

At one point, moderator Benjamin, a former dean at SUNY-New Paltz and a former chairman of the Ulster County Legislature, clashed with Tyner when Benjamin admonished the candidate to stick to the subject at hand after he began to list some of his endorsements. Tyner took umbrage, claiming Benjamin had allowed Schreibman similar leeway — but, as Benjamin pointed out, only during the candidate’s introductory remarks.

Both candidates were at times critical of president Barack Obama, their party standard-bearer in the fall. “We are overextended in Afghanistan,” Schreibman declared, but unlike Tyner he did not advocate an immediate withdrawal.

“Obama gets the Nobel Peace Prize and sends 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan,” Tyner said. “I don’t get it.”

Tyner accused Schreibman of waffling on fracking, but Schreibman said the evidence against it was “overwhelming.” He nonetheless called for more study before drilling permits are issued.

The candidates differed by degree on the issues of corporate personage. (Under law, corporations are treated as people.) Tyner called for a constitutional amendment to abolish the law. Schreibman criticized the law, but said he would employ a constitutional amendment only as a last resort.

Tyner, like Hinchey, supports a single-payer system to relieve financial burdens on the Medicare system. Schreibman, like Hinchey, wants Medicare given the authority to negotiate for medication with major pharmaceutical companies, similar to the Canadian system.

County registration down, trending up

There are an estimated 130,000 registered Democrats in the congressional district. The county elections board says there are just over 37,000 Democrats in Ulster County, roughly 28 percent of the district total. County Republicans number 28,197. Those enrolled in no political party number 33,332, according to Democratic elections commissioner Victor Work. Overall county registration is down by about 2000, from the 110,000 recorded in 2008, he said.

In this presidential year, Work said he expects a “substantial surge” in registration. There were more than 10,000 new registrants in 2008.

There is also a Republican primary on June 26 among three candidates seeking to unseat Democrat incumbent U.S. senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Candidates include Queens congressman Bob Turner (who replaced Anthony Weiner), Wendy Long and George Maragos.

All polling places in the county are open from noon to 9 p.m. Returns can be followed in the board of elections website after 10 p.m. at Voteulster.com.