Flanked by his family, friends, employees and Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco, R-Schenectady, Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Amsterdam, officially kicked off his reelection campaign in the 105th Assembly District on Wednesday, July 30, at Rotterdam Town Hall.
Amedore, 39, will seek his first full term in office after defeating Schenectady Democrat Edward Kosiur in a special election last November. Amedore replaced veteran Assemblyman Paul Tonko, who left the seat to become the CEO of the state Energy Research and Development Authority.
It’s not all of his family, said Tedisco in his introduction, gesturing to the several dozen family members waving Amedore campaign signs. `There’s more.`
Tedisco went on to say that Amedore cannot only `talk the talk, but walk the walk,` when it comes to economic change.
`He’s a small business man,` said Tedisco of Amedore, who is also the vice president of Amedore Homes. `He knows how to make a budget. He knows how to make a deadline.`
In Amedore’s own remarks, the freshman Assemblyman said he has an aggressive plan for his campaign. Amedore currently faces two challengers, Democrat Mark Blanchfield, an attorney and longtime Schenectady city councilman, and Working Families Party member Joe Salamone, a student serving his second term on the Mohonasen School Board.
Amedore said that his second Assembly campaign would take a different approach.
`I already ran a sprint, now I’ll have to learn how to run a marathon,` said Amedore.
Amedore played up his persona as an Albany outsider in his speech.
There’s a change coming to Albany,` he said. `And remember when I said I can live with not being the most popular guy in Albany ` well, I still can.`
Amedore also touted his experience.
In his first year in office, Amedore secured nearly $100,000 in member items for Schenectady, including new computers for the Hamilton Hill Arts Center and funding for Montgomery County’s Youth Day.
Amedore also co-sponsored 17 bills that passed the Assembly, including legislation that imposed tougher penalties on those who commit crimes against seniors and a junior hunting mentorship program.
The Assemblyman cited several of his top policy issues including the exploration of alternative energy sources, putting an end to Thruway toll hikes and the imposition of a real property tax cap, a measure that ultimately failed to pass the Assembly this session.
Amedore, who made his announcement one day after Gov. David Patterson called the Legislature back for an emergency economic session in August, said he looked forward to his continued work this summer.
`I’ll roll my sleeves up and work hard to serve the people,` he said.
The 105th Assembly District includes all of Montgomery County and parts of Schenectady County.“