The voting bloc in the Hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel was expected to influence the outcome of the Monroe Town Board race Tuesday, as the powerful bloc instructed its members to back Democrat Gerard McQuade and Republican Don Weeks, leaving 20-year-incumbent Peter Martin out in the cold.

Martin has enjoyed the support of the main voting bloc in Kiryas Joel in at least the last two elections, and it was unclear Tuesday why that support shifted.

Speaking by phone prior to the election results, Martin said he believed the switch in loyalty was influence by Harley Doles, the lone Democrat on the Town Board who is married to town justice candidate Maria Vazquez-Doles.

Voting cards issued by the Kiryas Joel voting bloc instructing voters to change loyalties prior to the election.

The dissident voting bloc also supported McQuade, as well as Richard Colon, the other Democrat.

“Harley Doles is the Karl Rove of Monroe politics,” Martin said, “and he has chastised the incumbent Republicans for benefiting from a block vote, while the whole time he’s been over there trying to get that block vote on his side, and from the sound of things it looks like he’s accomplished that.”

(Source: Times Herald Record)