Democrats Seize Power In Trump-Won County Despite Losing Election There Months Ago

Democrats captured a majority in Orange County, New York’s Legislature on Tuesday — despite losing to Republican candidates in a majority of districts in the November 2025 elections.

Democratic New York State Sen. James Skoufis, who represents almost all of the county, celebrated his party’s newfound majority in its legislature, writing in a Wednesday morning post on X that Democrats accomplished this feat “for the first time in the nearly 60-year history of the chamber.” The county’s legislature elected Democrat Laurie Tautel as chairwoman on Tuesday, with longtime legislator Michael Amo, an independent who usually votes with Republicans, casting the decisive vote, local outlet Mid Hudson News reported.

Tautel bested Barry Cheney, a Republican, by an 11–10 margin, with Amo joining the chamber’s 10 Democrats, the outlet reported.

The most recent legislature election in the county took place in Nov. 2025, and the GOP won a majority then, according to unofficial results published on Nov. 5, 2025. Republicans had previously maintained the majority in the Orange County Legislature throughout most of its history over the past 55 years, Mid-Hudson News reported on Tuesday.

“Today Orange County is at a new crossroads,” Tautel said, as reported by Mid Hudson News. “Families are struggling with rising costs, seniors are worried about staying in their homes, young people want to build lives here, but aren’t sure they can afford to. Our infrastructure is aging, our health systems are under strain, and too many residents feel disconnected from county government all together.”