The Shawangunk Democratic Committee voted in their caucus to endorse the candidacy of Rebecca Mantello for town justice, John Valk for supervisor, and Jane Rascoe for town clerk. Rebecca is a high energy attorney with an extensive history of community service. She will make an outstanding town judge. John Valk and Jane Rascoe are Republicans who have served the town so well that the Democrats thought they deserved cross endorsement.  Both are solutions oriented and work for everyone in the town.  A fine job needs to be recognized. Unfortunately, many Republicans at the caucus hate Democrats enough to urge rejecting the endorsements.  Republicans have little to lose in the November election so these efforts have nothing to do with winning.  One man seemed to capture the hostility by suggesting anything Democratic comes from “the dark side”.  Scorning praise for two of your own, who have done fine work, is nasty, unproductive and undermines the good will we need to bring us together as Americans.