MIDDLETOWN — Paula Elaine Kay (D, Rock Hill) introduced her campaign for NYS’s 100th Assembly District, in Orange County, during a fundraising event at the Olde Erie Restaurant on April 17. Kay is endorsed by retiring Assembly Member Aileen Gunther, Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY), Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano, and lifelong Middletown resident and community leader Maria Ingrassia.

In her remarks, Kay highlighted the major State funding to the District from Gunther and how important it is to have a member from the majority party representing the 100th in the Democratically controlled Assembly. She also spoke about her priorities: reasonably priced housing and infrastructure to support it, giving judges back discretion, crime reduction, prioritizing environmental resiliency, and a woman’s right to choose. Affordable and accessible healthcare is high on her list, including addressing the addiction crisis and mental health issues, incentives for firefighters and EMS workers, as well as much needed support for public schools coming out of the Pandemic.

Kay graduated from Wesleyan University and Brooklyn Law School. She is a Municipal Attorney with a 30-year background working for New York City, State and Local Governments. In 2008, she founded the Law Office of Paula Elaine Kay in Monticello. Kay lives with her husband Jonathan Drapkin, in Rock Hill, where they raised their two children.

The 100th Assembly District includes Middletown, the Town of Wallkill, and most of Sullivan County.