by Patricia R. Doxsey
KINGSTON – Democrat Marc Rider has dropped his bid to be elected Ulster County executive.
Rider, currently a deputy county executive, announced his decision Tuesday and said he instead will support Gardiner Democrat Pat Ryan.
“I entered this race with the idea that I would continue the good work begun by [former] County Executive Mike Hein, while also sharing my own vision for making Ulster County a more equitable place for all residents,” Rider, a Rifton resident, said in a prepared statement. But campaigning for the office requires a full-time commitment, “and my full-time job is serving the people of this county that I love,” he said.
“I feel I could have won, but I would have had to step away from my current position,” he added.
Rider said he intends to work on Ryan’s campaign, and, if Ryan is elected, will be a deputy county executive in the Ryan administration.