GOSHEN, N.Y.—Long-time Orange County resident, local volunteer, and active Republican Aaron Ubides is running to represent the people of District 2 in the Orange County Legislature. He plans to use his intimate knowledge of the local communities to serve his constituents.
Ubides lives in the Village of Florida, and has lived in various parts of Orange County over the past 40 years. He moved to the area as a teenager with his parents.
Ubides has been the head technician, a welder, and a fabricator for Showalter’s Equipment in Goshen for more than 20 years. He also serves on the Town of Warwick Zoning Board of Appeals and works part time for the Florida Fire District doing truck, building, and grounds maintenance.
He has also been part of the nonprofit Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club for more than 20 years, and served as treasurer of its Orange County chapter for 13 years. He has been a volunteer for the Town of Warwick Republican Committee for more than 10 years.
“My own life experiences have given me the opportunity to meet people from all backgrounds, and I’ve had the opportunity to build solid relationships throughout the county,” Ubides told The Epoch Times on Oct. 28. “I understand the diverse needs of our community as well as the struggles today’s families are facing.
“I feel that this is my opportunity to be able to give back to the community in a greater capacity. I’m happy with the way the county is running, and I want to help ensure it continues to be a safe and prosperous area for our future generations.”
Ubides is competing for District 2 with Democratic nominee Jonathan Redeker, a Goshen resident and Goshen Central School District employee.
The newly drawn District 2 encompasses the town of Goshen, part of northern Warwick, and Florida.
Ubides said he stands for hard work, transparency, and accountability.
“I would like to help keep county taxes low, maintain and improve infrastructure, protect open spaces, [and] support our first responders, seniors, and veterans,” he said.
“I stand by my commitment to vote in favor of allocating funds to help communities provide safe and potable water to all residents, and I will continue to advocate for initiatives that protect our vital resources and improve the quality of life for everyone.”
Election efforts by Ubides and his team include knocking on hundreds of doors and attending numerous meetings, events, and fundraisers.
“My strategy is to be myself and meet as many people as possible. I distribute my personal cell phone number and will continue to be accessible and available when I’m elected to be the next county legislator,” he said.
Another big part of Ubides’s campaign is making people aware that voting in local elections really matters.
“One of the challenges I’ve faced running for legislator is getting people engaged in local elections. There’s typically only a fraction of voters that show up for our local elections, yet these have the most impact on our daily lives,” he said.
Early voting ends on Nov. 2, and Election Day is Nov. 4.
Ubides has received endorsements from many Republican figures and local organizations, including County Executive Steve Neuhaus; the Orange County, Chester, and Warwick Republican Committees; and the American Latino Coalition.
The coalition said in a statement: “Ubides understands, appreciates, and recognizes the ever so growing Latino community. He has, and continues to be, an active and supportive member of the American Latino Coalition, who shares for himself and his family our community’s aspirations and whose leadership and service will contribute to maintaining Orange County as a promising and wonderful community to raise a family, start a business, and launch your American dream.”
Ubides raised his daughter as a single father until she was 16, when he met his wife. He now has grandchildren. He said he wants to make sure that Orange County is a place where they and the many generations to follow will prosper.
