Candidate Profile 2024: Houle Runs For State Senate In Orange County

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — In 2024's general election, residents of the Hudson Valley will be voting for federal, state and local officials. In anticipation, Patch asked candidates in the region's contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Monroe resident Dorey Houle is challenging State Sen. James Skoufis in District 42.

Education: Bachelors of Arts in Science, Letters, and Society and a minor in Early Childhood Education from CUNY

Age: 50

Occupation: Orange County Ombudsman and Monroe Councilwoman

Campaign website: www.doreyhoule.com

Social media

• Facebook: Dorey Houle for State Senate
• Twitter: @DoreyforSenate

Why are you seeking this office?

I’m running for State Senate because New York is in crisis. Crime is rampant, prices are skyrocketing, and the drug and migrant crises have no end in sight. This is the James Skoufis-Kathy Hochul agenda, and it’s destroying our state. We deserve so much better, and I know we can get there. I believe my experience at the local and county level have uniquely prepared me to address these problems.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Plain and simple, I have a plan to improve New York. And I have real experience and a record behind me. While James Skoufis and Kathy Hochul have let New York spiral, I’ve worked on the Monroe Town Council, and on the Village Board before that, to reduce taxes, give law enforcement the support it needs to keep our neighborhoods safe, and preserve land in Orange County.

What other issues are you addressing during your campaign?

In addition to the issues I mentioned previously, I’m also interested in increasing access mental health services and balancing development with land preservation in Orange County.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My time as an elected official with the Town and Village of Monroe have prepared me for this role. As Trustee and Councilwoman, I work to solve tough problems and deliver big results for my constituents, and I look forward to doing the same thing on a bigger scale in Albany.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

“Go with your gut.”

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want New Yorkers to know that our future doesn't have to look like our past. We can do so much better. Our streets can be safe, our children can have a top-notch education, and our economy can flourish. But those things can't happen if we keep electing the same old leaders with the same old policies. James Skoufis and Kathy Hochul are leading us down the wrong path. I want to get moving in the right direction. Join me.