Local GOP Backs Same Slate as Dems with Single Exception

The Rye City Republican Committee put forward its slate for the fall elections Saturday morning, backing the same candidates as the Rye City Democratic Committee with a single exception. The Republicans are blessing all the incumbents – Josh Cohn for Mayor and Julie Souza and Ben Stacks for Rye City Council.

For the third open council seat, the Republicans are putting forth Bill Henderson, a 26-year Rye resident who holds professional experience as a CPA and attorney. This contrasts with the local Dems who have put forward Lisa Tannenbaum as the third council candidate.

Outside of the two major party slates, Rye Mayor Josh Cohn is facing a challenge in the Democratic primary from current Human Rights Chair and former Councilwoman Danielle Tagger-Epstein.

It’s never dull here is Rye, and readers should be reminded every single one of these candidates serves – or is attempting to serve – without any compensation.

Here is the full announcement from the local GOP:

“Rye, NY-“We’re putting partisanship aside and doing what is right for Rye.”

The Rye City Republican Committee is pleased to announce its 2021 Mayoral and City Council slate:

We are proud to announce our support for the re-election of Incumbent Mayor Josh Cohn and City Council members Julie Souza and Ben Stacks. They have shown their commitment to good governance through strategic fiscal management, environmental stewardship and leadership during the Covid pandemic.

We are equally excited to announce our support for Bill Henderson, a Rye resident for 26 years with a history of community involvement, including the Rye Board of Education Audit Committee, Rye Little League and serving as Treasurer and President of the Apawamis Club. Bill is a CPA and an attorney and will bring his invaluable experience to enhance and reinforce our effective Rye governance team.

Josh, a former partner at Mayer Brown, a global law firm specializing in complex litigation matters, is a graduate of Columbia University (BA) and New York University Law School (JD). In addition to his Mayoral responsibilities, he serves as an expert witness in his practice specialty, derivatives litigation.

Julie is Head of Sports for the Global Professional Services Group at Amazon Web Services, is Co-President of the Midland School PTO, coaches for Rye Girls Softball and serves as a volunteer for Children’s Philanthropy of Rye and Part of the Solution (“POTS”). She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Harvard Business School; she is currently a member of the Advisory Board for both alma maters.

Ben is an Executive Vice President in Commercial Real Estate Banking at BankUnited, N.A., is a Board Member and Audit Committee Chairman of BreakingGround, New York’s largest non-profit Supportive Housing provider, and a Board Member of New York Real Estate Lenders Association. He is a graduate of Syracuse University (BA) and holds an MBA from American University.

Bill recently retired as a Partner with Ernst & Young’s Fraud Investigation and Dispute Services practice, where he conducted investigative, forensic accounting, and corporate compliance advisory services for firm clients. Bill’s prior employment also includes positions as a Partner with KPMG’s forensic accounting group, in-house corporate compliance counsel with the Colgate-Palmolive Company, and as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Fraud Section in Washington, DC. Bill holds a BS in Accounting from Fairfield University and a JD from Georgetown University Law School.

“Our goal is to recognize and promote those who bring excellence to the hard and demanding work of successful city management and demonstrate the ability to work effectively across political lines to address and resolve challenges facing our community” says Elaine DiCostanzo, Chair of the Rye City Republican Committee.

The Committee believes that Josh, Julie and Ben exemplify this approach and that the addition of Bill to this team will ensure that Rye will be a model for outstanding municipal governance.”