NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — This crunchy college town, between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, feels like an ideal place for a Woodstock attendee to retire. Amble down Main Street, and you’ll see a yoga studio, a gluten-free bakery and a clothing store called the Groovy Blueberry. “I’m already against the NEXT war,” a passing bumper sticker reads.

Make no mistake: This is Bernie Sanders country.

The Vermont senator got a hero’s welcome here on Friday when he emerged onstage at a park near the State University of New York’s New Paltz campus. He was there to campaign for Zephyr Teachout, a Democrat and Fordham University law professor who is in a tight race to represent New York’s 19th Congressional District, which includes New Paltz.

Now that his presidential ambitions have been dashed, Mr. Sanders seems to understand that his role is to act as a sort of political conduit, transmitting progressive voters’ undying love for him to state and local candidates. And, he hopes, getting Hillary Clinton elected president, too. Few of the young people I talked to at the rally had heard of Ms. Teachout or the congressional race. But Mr. Sanders had brought them there, and they were open to learning more.

“There are 435 members in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Mr. Sanders told the crowd. “You are about to elect the most outstanding member, a leader at a time when we need leaders.”