Last week, Aaron Woolf, the Democratic congressional candidate in New York's 21st Congressional District, held his first public forum at the Crandall Library in Glens Falls, New York, delivering a well thought-out speech outlining his goals for the area. After the speech, Woolf answered many questions from prospective constituents on a wide range of topics, including the potential legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, alternative and renewable energy creation, gun issues and the SAFE Act, as well as home rule and zoning issues for Upstate communities facing casino development or hydrofracking.
The forum was hosted by Democracy for the Greater Glens Falls Area (GFADFA), the local chapter of Democracy for America, the progressive activist group founded by former Vermont governor Howard Dean during his presidential campaign in 2004. Over the past decade, the Glens Falls DFA has emerged as the largest leading progressive activist group in Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga Counties, helping to pave the way for a string of Democratic victories in what was formerly one of the most rock-ribbed conservative pockets of the Northeast; the most notable of these victories being now-Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's defeat of former corrupt, scandal plagued Congressman John Sweeney (R) in 2006.
The Glens Falls DFA meets monthly on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00PM at the Rock Hill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls.
The first video contains Aaron Woolf's speech with an introduction from Glens Falls DFA coordinator Larry Dudley:
The second video contains Aaron Woolf's answers to questions from prospective constituents: