Casualties.  Dutchess Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins, left, and Ulster Legislature Majority Leader Brian Cahill. Both Democrats were voted out of office.

MID-HUDSON – Republicans have regained a stronghold on the Mid-Hudson Valley following Tuesday’s elections and that means change, say leaders of both parties

County legislatures in Orange, Dutchess and Ulster counties, which went Democratic in recent years, will go back Republican control come January.  

It wasn’t just a few seats either.  The GOP goes from minority to veto-proof majority in Dutchess and will have a two-one majority in Orange. 

Democratic Dutchess County Legislature Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg said the vote for change goes beyond the local level.

“People are scared about what’s going on and I think the reaction is to make changes,” she said.

Orange County GOP Chairman William DeProspo the power shift to Republican in that county’s legislature will mean good things for the county.

“It’s going to enable us to move the Republican-Conservative agenda forward and I think that’s going to be to the benefit of all of the residents of Orange County,” he said.

Ulster County Democratic Chairman Julian Schreibman was disappointed by the voting.

“There was a Republican tsunami that hit the eastern seaboard. Certainly from the Hudson Valley out to Long Island the Republicans did surprisingly well and suggests there was a lot of uneasiness that sent unenrolled voters overwhelmingly to the Republican column,” he said.

Republican Dutchess County GOP Chairman Michael McCormack said area residents reacted to “what is going on with the Democratic stronghold.”

Clerk Brad Kendall said the people are concerned about the economy and the direction the nation is taking.