Democrats have a new candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Kevin Muldowney’s seat in the Chautauqua County Legislature.

Chautauqua County Democratic Committee Chairman Norman P. Green announced this week that James B. Palmatier was chosen to be the party nominee for District 1. Tommy Roque was initially announced as the candidate on the Democratic side. Green said he had to back out due to health reasons.

The county Democratic Committee met and chose to go with Palmatier as the candidate for the November election. District 1 represents the city of Dunkirk and the town of Dunkirk’s west side. Muldowney, who holds the seat, is an assessor for the town of Pomfret and a community liaison to state Sen. Cathy Young.

Palmatier, 66, is a U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran who is active in the Catholic Church at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. He’s also a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and a publicly elected Dunkirk City Library Trustee. Palmatier said his platform is simple.

“I will attend the meetings I am paid to attend and I will speak up for the needs of the city and town of Dunkirk,” he said. “I am disturbed with the movement of health services from downtown Dunkirk to Mayville and will work, if elected, to bring county workers and service back home to Dunkirk. We also need a stronger answer to the opioid epidemic.”