St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee

09/06/2026

Meet Adam Jarrett!

My name is Adam Jarrett. I am a longtime resident of the North Country, former Chief Medical Officer of Claxton Hepburn, and a local physician.

Over twenty years ago, I made a decision that would alter the course of my life, when I moved my family to Ogdensburg, NY to become the Chief Medical Officer at Claxton Hepburn Medical Center. I expected many things when we made that move. I expected to do the hard work of stabilizing a strained rural medical system. I expected to watch my kids build friendships as my wife and I led their Cub Scout Dens and church youth groups. I expected to become a bit of a better fisherman.

What I didn't expect was to find a true home. But that's what the North Country has been to me for the past two decades: Home.

I've spent my career caring for patients and families right here in our community. I've sat with people in their hardest moments, listened to their concerns, and worked with them to find real solutions. And what I've seen--more and more--is that families are doing everything right, but still feel like they are falling behind. The cost of living keeps going up. Groceries cost more. Property taxes feel heavier. People are losing access to healthcare. For too many people, it's getting downright impossible to get ahead, let alone stay ahead.

That's why I'm running for County Legislator.

No matter which side you're on, it's clear that politics are a mess at the national level. It's also clear that national policies are hurting the North Country. Whether it's healthcare policy that leads to thousands of seniors losing care, immigration policy that leads to local businesses losing revenue from Canadian visitors, or economic policy that leads to ever-increasing inflation, Washington's bad decisions hurt us. Yet, our current representatives at the local level consistently vote according to their national partisan allegiances, not according to the needs of their constituents.

I believe that local government shouldn't be focused on partisan politics. It should be focused on one simple idea: making life better--and more affordable--for people who live here.

I'm not a career politician. I'm a doctor. When a patient comes in, I don't jump to conclusions and decide what I think before we even get started. I listen. I look at the facts. I figure out exactly what is causing the problem and then I focus on solutions that work.

That's exactly how local government should operate, and that's what I will do as County Legislator for District 3.

Jarrett For Legislature
https://www.stlawco.gov/sites/default/files/BoardofElections/LD%203%20and%20EDs%20March%202022.pdf

09/05/2026

Meet Blake Gendebien!

I’m a husband, father of three boys, second-generation dairy farmer, small business owner, and served as Vice Chair of the Cooperative Board of Agri-Mark. I was born and raised on a farm in the North Country and I’ve been deeply rooted in this community my whole life – as a JV basketball coach, Lisbon Central School Board Member, and founder of a non-profit supporting kids with pediatric cancer and their families.

Not enough of the people who are supposed to be representing us in Washington have calluses on their hands or know what it means to put in a real day’s work. Out-of-touch politicians on both sides of the aisle spend too much time fighting with each other and jockeying for power. But on the farm, when you’re making small square bales of hay, milking cows, or shoveling stalls, you don’t ask the person next to you which party they belong to, you just get to work. That’s exactly what I’ll do.

Having grown up here, I’ve seen how Washington has neglected communities in the North Country. Over the last six years alone, our region has lost more than 700 local dairy farms, and families have been forced to leave for higher-paying jobs elsewhere – but it doesn’t have to be this way.

My goal is to be a bridge between our region and Washington. I’ll be an honest voice to uplift farmers, families, veterans, and small businesses while keeping bureaucracy in check. There is simply no excuse for the gridlock that has failed to deliver even the most common-sense solutions to help North Country families to not just get by – but to actually get ahead.

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gendebien_website?refcode=website-header

https://blakegendebienforcongress.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24042527246&gclid=Cj0KCQjw--7UBhCpARIsAGJBptit_xGPOlZHXLt1ZqvWCuQzLfALF8L1JRx_HxP-yl1DoBHTsOjuRsAaAiAEEALw_wcB

Blake Gendebien for the North Country

09/05/2026

Meet Dennis Gordon!

Dennis Gordon knows what it means to build a life in the North Country. Born in Bell County, Texas, near Fort Hood and raised in a military family, Dennis spent his early childhood on a U.S. Army base in Mannheim, Germany, before his family was stationed at Fort Drum. What started as another stop on the military map became home. He grew up in Jefferson County, attended local schools, and put down roots in a region defined by long winters, tight-knit communities, and hardworking families.

After earning his degree from Jefferson Community College, where his artwork "Temple of the Sun" was published in the Black River Riverview and received a juried award, Dennis launched a career in graphic design. Since graduating college, he has run his own small business, managing every project from concept to delivery. Working independently taught him the values he carries into public life: discipline, accountability, and following through on commitments without anyone looking over his shoulder.

Dennis lives the
same reality as his neighbors. He understands the weight of rising utility bills, the cost of heating a home through a northern New York winter, and the frustration of watching young people leave the region because they can't afford to stay.

He's not a career politician. He's a small business owner, a neighbor, and a member of the community who believes the 117th District deserves a representative who shares the daily challenges of the people he serves and who will fight for practical solutions in Albany.

Dennis Gordon for the 117th Assembly District
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dennis-gordon-2
https://www.stlcdemocrats.com/dennis-gordon

09/05/2026

Meet Cassie Robbins-Forbus

Cassie is a Lewis County native, wife, mom, and community leader*who has spent her career working in education, nonprofit leadership, substance-use prevention, and healthcare.

She has been a teacher, worked with organizations serving our communities, and currently works in healthcare as a grant writer.
Most importantly, the North Country is home.

🏡 WHY SHE'S RUNNING
Cassie believes the North Country needs a stronger voice in Albany—and that representation starts with listening.

She isn't running because she thinks she already has every answer.
She's running because she believes the people who live here should have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their families, farms, businesses, schools and communities.
Her approach is simple:

Listen first. Work together. And focus on the issues that actually affect the people who live here.

💵 AFFORDABILITY
The cost of living isn't an abstract political issue when you're standing at the grocery store checkout, paying your electric bill, filling your vehicle with gas or trying to heat your home through a North Country winter.

Cassie wants affordability to remain at the center of the conversation in Albany.

Because families shouldn't have to wonder whether they can afford to stay in the communities they love.

🏥 RURAL HEALTHCARE
Living in a rural community shouldn't mean settling for less access to healthcare.

Cassie's experience working in healthcare has given her a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing rural hospitals, healthcare providers and the patients who depend on them.

Our communities need access to quality care—and we need to make sure rural healthcare has a voice when decisions are being made in Albany.

📚 EDUCATION & OUR CHILDREN
As a former teacher, Cassie understands how important strong schools are to the future of our communities.

She supports investments that help children and families, including Universal Pre-K and free school breakfast and lunch, while recognizing that rural schools face challenges that aren't always understood elsewhere in the state.

Supporting our schools means supporting our students, educators, families and ultimately the future of the North Country.

🌾 FARMS, SMALL BUSINESSES & RURAL COMMUNITIES
Agriculture and small businesses are part of the backbone of the North Country.

Cassie believes our farmers, local businesses and rural communities deserve a seat at the table when decisions are being made about infrastructure, economic development, energy, environmental protections and state investment.

Albany shouldn't simply tell the North Country what it needs.
Albany needs to listen to the people who actually live and work here.

🤝 WORKING TOGETHER
Cassie's campaign isn't about believing everyone has to agree on everything.

It's about listening—even when we disagree—and finding areas where we can work together to make life better for the people we represent.

Republican, Democrat, independent or somewhere in between, we're still neighbors.

And at the end of the day, we all want the North Country to succeed.

The North Country deserves leaders who will listen to us, show up for us and make sure rural communities have a voice in Albany.
Learn about Cassie. Ask questions. Get involved. And make your voice heard.

https://www.stlcdemocrats.com/cassie-robbins-forbus
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/crb26founders
Cassie Robbins-Forbus for NYS Senate District 49

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

Meet Christine Clark!

Judge Clark attended Columbia University and Albany Law School (ALS), during which time she also completed an internship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. After graduation, she went to work at Dreyer Boyajian, LLP as an associate. Shortly after, she was offered a position by Schenectady County District Attorney Robert M. Carney. At the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, she began as the DWI prosecutor and then moved to the general felony bureau. She became the s*x crimes/child abuse prosecutor and was then promoted to become the first Bureau Chief of the Special Victims Unit.

In 2004, Mayor Brian U. Stratton appointed Judge Clark to the position of Schenectady City Court Judge, and she then won election to that position for a full ten-year term. In November 2010, Judge Clark was elected as Schenectady County Family Court Judge. In November 2012, she was elected to the Supreme Court for the Fourth District of New York, the second woman to ever achieve that position. In April 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Judge Clark to the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department and has since been reappointed by Governor Kathy Hochul.

In March 2024, Judge Clark was appointed Co-Chair of the Attorney Emeritus Advisory Council by Chief Judge Rowan Wilson. Judge Clark has received various awards including recognition from the New York State Bar Association in 2013 for her support of pro bono efforts and access to justice. Judge Clark enjoys mentoring law students and speaking at events. She loves spending time with her family and has two daughters, ages 18 and 22.

https://www.stlcdemocrats.com/christine-clark
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/christine-clark-1
Christine Clark for Supreme Court

09/03/2026

Meet Melissa Seale!

Melissa Seale, is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, small-business owner, and community advocate dedicated to strengthening the health and well-being of families across New York’s North Country.
​
For years, Melissa has worked directly with children, parents, schools, and healthcare providers to help families navigate complex mental and behavioral health challenges. Her career has focused on practical, compassionate care, meeting people where they are and helping them get the support they need, especially in rural and underserved communities.

Melissa is the founder of Well Child Psychiatric and the Well Child Foundation, organizations created to expand access to high-quality mental health care for children and adolescents. Under her leadership, Well Child has prioritized early intervention, continuity of care, and close collaboration with families and schools—so problems are addressed before they become crises.

Known as a bridge-builder, Melissa brings people together to find solutions. She has spent her career listening, coordinating across systems, and turning concern into action, skills she believes are just as necessary in public service as they are in healthcare.

Melissa lives and works in New York’s North Country, where she continues to care for children, support families, and work toward a healthier, more connected future for the community she calls home.

https://www.stlcdemocrats.com/melissa-seale
https://sealeforsenate.com/
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/melissa-seale-1
SealeforSenate

09/02/2026

We have an amazing group of people running locally in the midterm elections this November!

Also on the ballot unopposed are Anthony Levato in District 9 and Margaret Haggard in District 10.

Learn about each candidate at: https://www.stlcdemocrats.com/candidates

This election we have the opportunity to affect national politics by helping flip the House and bringing accountability. But also important are our local elected officials that make decisions that directly affect our everyday lives and how our towns needs are met.

One example, back in February there was a public hearing about the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office 287(g) agreement with ICE. About 80 people spoke out over 4 hours, the vast majority against it. The majority of the legislature still voted for it. We can vote them out! We can flip the county legislature as well!

In the coming days and weeks we will be featuring each one of these candidates. Be on the lookout!

Your voice matters. Your vote matters.

Voting starts Oct. 24th. Election day is November 3rd.

09/01/2026

"'Canada isn't our rival, they're our neighbors and our customers, and it's time Washington started acting like it,' Gendebien said."

LISBON — Democratic congressional candidate Blake Gendebien is calling for an end to the U.S. Canada trade dispute, saying tariffs imposed by both countries could hurt North Country farmers, small …

09/01/2026

"I was probably as close to this election as you can get. I watched Blake work this district, county by county. I sat next to him and had private conversations at forums and events. I know what he cares about, and I know he will be one of the votes our leaders will need in our continued struggle. That matters more right now than perfect alignment on every issue. What matters is having a majority in Washington to hold this administration accountable and to pass legislation that actually helps the people of the North Country." - Stuart Amoriell, former Democratic Candidate for NY-21

For those who heard me speak on the campaign trail and listened to my discussions about the issues I care deeply about, it is probably not surprising that I have some disagreements with my former …