Our Candidates

Sue Serino

For County Executive

At age 15, Sue Serino went to work to help support her family and never stopped. From waiting tables at area restaurants, to managing a local diner, Sue spent years holding down two and three jobs to make ends meet and talking extensively with customers, listening and relating to their concerns. After finding herself a working single-mom, Sue started an in-home childcare business to ensure she could continue to financially support her family while caring for her own son.

Sue eventually began working in real estate where she specialized in helping first-time homebuyers make their Hudson Valley dreams a reality. As a successful small business owner, Sue experienced first-hand the frustration of excessive red tape and over-taxation that hinders economic development. Those experiences propelled her to get involved, leading to time spent on the Hyde Park Town Board and the Dutchess County Legislature before being elected to the New York State Senate.

As a State Senator, Sue spent 8 years representing residents of Dutchess County in Albany. There, she served as both the Chair and the Ranking Member of the Committee on Aging as well as the Ranking Member of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation. During her tenure in the Senate, she stood out as a staunch advocate for seniors and caregivers, especially during the pandemic when she was an outspoken voice fighting to protect vulnerable nursing home residents. She was and continues to be a fierce supporter of New York’s veterans and fought tirelessly for consistent funding for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Program.

As a small businesswoman herself, Sue has been a steadfast partner for Dutchess County’s small business community, especially during the pandemic when she made it a priority to fight for employers and employees of industries like service and personal care that were being ignored by the state. She’s never been shy in her opposition of Albany’s tax and spend policies, having voted against multiple proposals that would have provided lawmakers with pay raises on the backs of working families. Sue has also been an outspoken voice for parents and families who were hit especially hard by the pandemic and the state mandates that came with it.

A strong supporter of New York’s law enforcement and first responders, Sue is a leading voice in the fight against dangerous policies that prioritized criminals over law- abiding citizens like cashless bail. Sue is also well known for her work to combat the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Having lost her brother to suicide, Sue has made eliminating the stigma surrounding mental illness part of her life’s mission. In addition, for years she’s worked to increase access to mental health care for Dutchess County families.

Sue and her family have lived in Hyde Park for over 20 years.

https://www.sueserino.com/

Joseph A. Egitto

For Family Court Judge

Family Court Judge Joseph A. Egitto was elected to serve Dutchess County in 2013. In 2018, Judge Egitto, among a crowded field of his colleagues in five counties, was appointed by the district administrative judge to be the Supervising Judge of the Family Courts in the 9th Judicial District encompassing Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. In his role as the Supervising Judge, Dutchess County has a unique and rare seat at the table in overseeing the daily functioning of 20 family courts as well as numerous court attorney referees and support magistrates. Judge Egitto is on-call 24/7, 365 days a year in the five counties of the district to hear after-hours emergency child access applications where child protective agencies have information that a child may be neglected or abused and cannot gain access to investigate. Judge Egitto is also the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee for the Attorneys for Children Panel for the Appellate Division, Second Department. The panel is responsible for overseeing the training and competence of attorneys who represent children and to make recommendations to the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division on attorneys’ requests for inclusion on the Attorneys for Children Panel. In addition, in 2017 Judge Egitto was appointed the Chair of the Dutchess County Raise the Age Committee charged with presenting a plan of implementation for the county when state lawmakers raised the age of adolescent criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 years of age. The Committee, under Judge Egitto’s leadership, collaborated with the Family and County Courts along with the Probation Department, the Sheriff’s Office and other stakeholders to implement and adhere to the new law.

Joe has been married to his loving wife, Teri Egitto, BSN, MBA, for 22 years. She is a registered nurse and is the Director of Surgical and Perioperative Services at St. Luke’s Hospital in Newburgh. Joe and Teri have raised their children, Christopher, 31 and Alyssa, 28 to be successful, responsible, hard-working and happy adults with vibrant careers of their own. On Father’s Day, 2020, in one of the greatest moments of Joe’s life, Christopher asked Joe to adopt him and of course he happily agreed. Joe’s adoption of Christopher was finalized in October, 2020.

Judge Egitto is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the New York State Family Court Working Group, the New York State Regional Youth Justice Team, the Dutchess County Juvenile Justice Committee, the Dutchess County Child Welfare Court Improvement Project, the New York State Family Court Judges Association, the New York State Magistrates Association, the Dutchess County Magistrates Association, and the New York State, Dutchess County and Mid-Hudson Women’s Bar Associations.

Prior to his election to county-wide office, Judge Egitto was a practicing attorney for 28 years representing litigants and children in all types of cases in family court including juvenile delinquency, custody, support, domestic violence cases, abuse and neglect cases, PINS (persons in need of supervision) and diversion matters and enforcement proceedings. Judge Egitto also has extensive experience as an attorney in criminal and matrimonial cases and, prior to his election to Family Court, he was the LaGrange Town Justice, where he routinely presided over cases involving domestic violence and youthful offenders.

Judge Egitto has extensive community involvement. He was an assistant coach for the girl’s youth softball in LaGrange and an assistant coach for the Town of Beekman Women’s Softball organization. Judge Egitto and Teri have supported the Arlington High School Orchestra and Marching Band, Family Services Inc., The Grace Smith House and the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. They have also supported the Dutchess Divas Girls Travel Softball Club and have served on its Board of Directors. Joe and Teri have also supported the Empire State Huskies and the USA Lady Hawks girls Travel Softball Organizations as well as numerous other charities.
Judge Egitto and his family are members of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Roman Catholic Church in Lagrangeville, New York. Joe and Teri are avid snowmobile enthusiasts, enjoy fishing, sports and boating on the Hudson River.

Judge Egitto has been an Acting Supreme Court Justice since 2016 and is cross assigned as a County Court Judge and Surrogate’s Court Judge. He earned his BA in 1982 from St. John’s University and a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 1985.

reelectjudgeegitto.com

Brad Kendall

For County Clerk

Brad Kendall was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 18th, 1955. In 1961, his family relocated to Beekman, NY.

Brad attended school in the Arlington School District, graduating in 1973 as a National Merit Scholar. He then attended Williams College in Williamstown, MA, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor’s of Art degree in English. While at Williams College, Brad met Barbara LeBaron of Wayland, MA. They wed on May 27th, 1978. In 1984, they settled in Dover Plains, raising two sons.

As a member of the Dover community, Mr. Kendall has been active as a coach in Little League and youth soccer as well as a member of the Dover Lion’s Club. He currently serves as a board member of the Dutchess Land Conservancy and Clove Cemetery

Brad began his public service in 1987 serving on the Town of Dover Planning Board until 1993. In 1993, he was elected to the Dutchess County Legislature where he served until 2006.

Brad was elected by his peers to serve as Chair of the Legislature from 2000 to 2006.

On December 15th, 2006, Governor George Pataki selected Mr. Kendall to fill the unexpired term of former County Clerk Colette Lafuente who retired on December 28th, 2006. He has since been elected to four terms as County Clerk.

https://bradkendall.org

Matt Weishaupt

For District Attorney

New York’s dangerous bail laws are making it easier for criminals, Dutchess County needs a District Attorney with the experience and knowledge to ensure justice is served.

With nearly 4 decades of experience as a prosecutor, no one knows the job of District Attorney better than Matt Weishaupt.

As the Chief Assistant District Attorney, he’s currently running all the important aspects of the office. He’s fighting for crime victims and delivering justice against murderers, violent felons, gang members, and drug dealers; winning six first degree murder cases including Dutchess County’s first capital murder case.

EXPERIENCED PROSECUTOR

  • Chief Assistant District Attorney: Responsible for all Office Operations including Administrative, Budget, Investigative, and Trials
  • Special Prosecutions & Administration Bureau Chief
  • Justice Court Bureau Chief
  • Narcotics & Gang Bureau Chief
  • Terrorism Coordinator and Liaison
  • Supervised Forfeiture Program
  • Supervised DWI Program
  • Led Capital Crimes Prosecution Team

RECORD OF REAL RESULTS

  • Won Dutchess County’s first ever capital murder case
  • Won verdicts in six first degree murder cases
  • Won verdicts in multiple other murder cases
  • Worked with federal authorities and state investigative commission on several public corruption cases
  • Worked in Special Prosecutions Bureau, responsible for violent felony and major prosecutions
  • Extensive experience with wiretap investigations
  • Extensive Grand Jury and trial experience

LIFETIME OF SERVING AND PROTECTING

  • Assistant District Attorney: Westchester DA
  • Security Patrol Clerk: Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Law Intern: United States Attorney’s Office Northern District
  • Officer: New Paltz Police Department
  • Deputy Sheriff: Ulster County Sheriff’s Department

EDUCATION

  • Graduate, Albany Law School
  • B.S. in Criminal Justice, Minor in Political Science, Saint Anselm College
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