MONTICELLO, NY — Following New York State primaries on Tuesday, June 27, Brian Conaty has secured the Republican party nomination for district attorney. 

Conaty has previously received the endorsements of the Democratic and the Conservative parties. With the Republican party line now in place, he has a clear path to election to the district attorney’s office, an office to which he was appointed in January. 

Conaty declared victory in a Facebook post that read in part, “Tonight, the voters recognized my willingness to challenge those who cannot or will not act in the best interests of public safety. They expressed their confidence in my leadership of our law enforcement community. And they were loud and clear in sending a resounding message of unity and bi-partisan support for integrity and impartiality.”

His opponent, Tom Cawley, conceded in a statement that read in part, “While this was not the result I was hoping for, I want to thank the voters who signed my petition, listened to me at doors, shook my hand at events and made me feel welcome 100 percent of the time. This is an experience I will not forget and I am forever grateful to those who supported me and my campaign. I wish Brian Conaty well as our next district attorney, because our success in fighting crime now lies with him.”

Conaty’s path to office

Conaty grew up in Monticello, and went to college in West Virginia, receiving a degree in sport management with minors in business administration, communication studies and personal training. 

Conaty went to law school on Long Island after graduation, and interned for a summer in the district attorney’s office under former DA Jim Farrell. 

“I’ve always known I wanted to be a prosecutor, for a variety of reasons,” said Conaty. “My father was an attorney—he was an ADA in this office, actually—and growing up, he would tell me that being a prosecutor is the best job in the legal profession… you just do the right thing and that’s it.” Conaty knew, as well, he wanted to be a litigator: “I want to be convincing juries and compelling judges; I want to be on the front lines.”

He joined Farrell’s office in 2018, and stayed with the office when Meagan Galligan took over in 2020. Galligan appointed him chief assistant district attorney, leaving him to be next in line when she left for higher office toward the start of the year. 

Since then, Conaty has received widespread support in his role as acting district attorney, he said. 

“I’m humbled. I’m grateful. I’ve asked for their support and they’ve given it to me… just from going grocery shopping, people come up to me and shake my hand and thank me for things I’ve done for them… And I have law enforcement that respects me. They know that I’m a prosecutor they can go to to get things done and handled in a professional manner.”

The DA’s office has also been active in the fight against the opioid crisis; according to Conaty, the office has in recent months “drafted and executed more search warrants and at a faster pace than any other administration,” and in the past few years the office has brought to the county providers to help the victims of the opioid crisis find treatment. 

Other results

Joe Perrello won the Republican party primary for Sullivan County Legislature, District 7 with 77.9 percent of the vote, winning out over opponent John Lacey.

Perrello will run without a Democratic challenger in November’s general election; the county’s Democratic committee cross-endorsed him rather than run its own candidate. While Perrello is a Republican, he has consistently sided with the Democratic minority in the Sullivan County Legislature on contested votes.

Terry Bernardo won the Republican party primary for Sullivan County Legislature, District 9 with 71.38 percent of the vote, over opponent Christopher Rosa. Bernardo has previously served as the chair of the Ulster County Legislature, and mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge to Sen. Peter Oberacker in the 2022 state senate elections.

Bernardo accepted victory in a Facebook post: “Thank you to everyone that voted! On to November!”

The Democratic party endorsed Village of Monticello Mayor George Nikolados for the District 9 race. 

James Akt won the primary for highway superintendent in the Town of Highland with 57.56 percent of the vote, beating out his opponent Orson J. Davis Jr. Davis is endorsed by the Conservative Party and will be on the ballot in November.