There is something special about winning an election where turnout goes through the roof like it did in this primary. We won a resounding victory thanks to you, the voters, in a year when four times as many Democrats cast ballots in this district as they did in the primary four years ago. There was a political earthquake in New York yesterday, and we were right at its epicenter. I hear and share your frustration with Washington and with Albany. Throughout my career in public service I’ve prided myself on delivering results, not just photo ops, and that’s exactly what I’ll do as your State Senator.
I also want to take a moment and thank my friend Robert Kesten for running an inspiring primary campaign that spoke to our shared Hudson Valley values. Robert was a powerful voice in this campaign. We are all lucky he ran and lucky that he always spoke from the heart. He and I both promised before we knew the primary results to support the other in the general election because the stakes are far too high for any of our supporters to sit this one out.
The #bluewave 🌊
🌊 in our Democratic primary should serve as a reminder to us that we are still represented in Albany by a Trump Republican. We’ve seen Terrence Murphy’s playbook: it’s designed to obscure his record and sow division so that Republicans can hold onto power at all costs. We’re not playing that game anymore. The Hudson Valley is sick and tired of that cynical, Trumpian strategy.
We are going to unite this district and campaign on the issues that matter. We’re going to pass the Reproductive Health Act, the Child Victims Act, and common sense gun safety measures like the Red Flag Bill — all of which Terrence Murphy and the Republican State Senate helped block. We’re going to finally reform NYSEG and revitalize our downtown main streets. When Washington is actively hostile to our region, on everything from the SALT deduction to our core values, we can’t afford a State Senator in Albany who’s part of the problem.
Over the next week I’m going to campaign in every town in this district. Over the next seven weeks, I’m going to fight for every vote. To do that and to win I need you. If you’ve been waiting to volunteer or donate the time is now.
We need to flip one seat – just one – to flip the entire State Senate. Let’s make the 40th District that decisive seat.