Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge reports for Columbia-Greene Media that Columbia County Democrats elected Sam Hodge their new chair on Sept. 23. The county Democratic committee voted unanimously for the 35-year-old, who was an assistant district attorney in the Bronx for seven years. "Our party is organized, engaged, and ready to put in the hard work to win," Hodge said in a statement. "We're the party that is putting forward ideas to innovate and reimagine how local governments can make our energy costs lower, internet faster, and housing more affordable. We've got the ideas, candidates, and organization to win." Voting begins Oct. 23 and lasts through Nov. 2 this fall.