Independent candidate for Assembly Tim Gordon and Democrat Ryan Donovan were both victorious in their respective races for 108th Assembly District and Bethlehem town justice.
Gordon defeated Republican Martin Reid with unofficial estimates of 52 percent of the votes going to Gordon compared to 45 percent for Reid. Gordon will assume the Assembly seat of Republican Pat Casale who opted against running for another term.
We’re very excited, said Gordon. `This has been a team effort from the beginning, and I’m just one member of that team.`
Gordon is currently a member of the Bethlehem Town Board. Reid is a Rensselaer County legislator.
In a year of many negative campaigns, Gordon believes it was staying positive with his campaign ideas and message that helped him to victory.
`Both candidates proclaimed they would be agents for positive change, but I believe we demonstrated we were serious about it by the way we conducted ourselves,` Gordon said.
Renewable energy use, reforming state government, and relieving the burden of high property taxes were some of Gordon’s main campaign issues.
Gordon’s supporters waited patiently until after 11 p.m. at Beff’s Restaurant for the newest member of the State Assembly to appear. They included town Supervisor Theresa Egan, state Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Albany, who ran unopposed this year, and Albany County legislator Jack Cunningham, D-Delmar.
`I’m a little sad to be leaving the town board, but I’ll still be representing the town of Bethlehem in the Legislature,` Gordon said.
Gordon won both the Independence and Democratic primary in September.
The 108th Assembly District stretches from Bethlehem in Albany County to parts of Rensselaer, Greene and Columbia counties. Gordon told the media he could not have won the race without the support of Democrats as well.
In the race for Bethlehem town justice, Democrat Ryan Donovan defeated Republican Brian Murphy by an unofficial count of 8,134 to 6,111. Donovan, the current town justice was appointed to the seat in June after Frank Milano moved up as a judge on the State Court of Claims.
`It’s been a lot of hard work and an exciting four months,` said Donovan. `I am humbled by the voters’ support.`
Donovan said running for the position and working as acting town justice made him want the job even more and work harder to obtain it.
`I am very excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work to make a difference as town judge,` said Donovan.
Donovan thanked Egan, close friends and supporters along with Cunningham and his family for all their support.
`I’m really excited about the next four years.`
Donovan’s wife, Brooke, along with his mother and father, Tom and Peggy Donovan, were on hand at Beff’s celebrating his victory.
`I can’t thank the volunteers enough,` Donovan added.
In other local races, Democratic incumbent Michael McNulty easily defeated his Republican opponent Warren Redlich in the 21st Congressional District with 77 percent of the vote. McNulty will be a part of the sweeping Democratic majority in the House of Representatives in January as Democrats take control of the House. McNulty is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
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