Two Democrats new to state politics are challenging Republican incumbents in the newly redrawn 49th Senate District and 112th Assembly District, and at a recent debate they both told voters it is time for a change.
Senator Hugh Farley and Assemblyman James Tedisco are hardly new names, with Farley’s grip on his seat closing in on four decades. Democrat Michele Draves, who unsuccessfully ran for Glenville Town Clerk last year, is taking on Tedisco. Fellow Democrat Madelyn Thorne, director of Pastoral Care at Glendale Nursing Home, has her sights set on Farley.
All four hopefuls met at a League of Women Voters of Saratoga County candidate forum on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Clifton Park Hilton Garden Inn.
The atmosphere at the Capitol has undergone a positive change, said Farley, who forecasted better times ahead.
“I am excited about how New York State seems to be trying to get its act together,” he said.
Thorne, however, took that assessment in another light and accused Farley of being part of the state Legislature’s ineffectiveness in recent years.
“My opponent has told you about the improvements made during the last sessions, but those improvements were caused by one change: Governor Cuomo,” Thorne said.
She said for the vast majority of Farley’s years on the Senate he has been part of the dysfunction, not a force against it, and said “needed change” cannot occur if the same representatives are being elected over and over.
Farley said he is proud of his Senate career and that he has accomplished “quite a bit,” being able to pass all legislation he introduced this year. He also pointed to bills he’s spearheaded for the environment, aging, banking and libraries.
“I try to make a difference and I think I can do a lot for my district,” he said. “I plan to work hard at it.”
Thorne supports increasing the minimum wage to “around $8.50.” Farley said the issue of increasing the minimum wage is likely to be addressed in an upcoming special session of the Legislature, with an increase likely to be approved.
Farley and Thorne both expressed the need for campaign finance reform. Farley even suggested exploring publicly financing state elections, but not local ones, but Thorne didn’t see the need to publicly fund campaigns.
Both spoke against the involvement of Super PACs in this year’s elections.
“I am sick of all these commercials that are on the television at the moment,” Farley said.
On the Assembly side, Draves also made the case for shucking past representation. She said she would implement the millionaire’s tax to reduce the deficit and stimulate education funding to reduce school taxes. She also said she would be a strong advocate for women’s issues.
“Our state is at a crossroads, we must choose a path forward,” Draves said. “In the last few years, 30,000 educators and other positions involved teaching our children have been axed, but Albany choose a tax cut for millionaires.”
Not unlike Farley, Tedisco said things are improving in Albany and the Legislature is headed in a good direction with bipartisan efforts.
“We have the lowest middle class tax rate for 4 million middle class taxpayers in 58 years,” Tedisco said. “We passed two on time budgets, we eliminated large deficits and we did it by spending less and reducing the size of government.”
All the candidates were asked about marriage equality, a topic that became a hot button issue in the nearby 43rd Senate District, where Saratoga County Clerk Kathleen Marchione’s narrow primary victory over incumbent Roy McDonald was largely attributed to the latter’s key vote in support of same-sex marriage.
At the debate, the candidates split down party lines, with Farley and Tedisco saying they believe marriage should be between a man and a woman, while Democrats Thorne and Draves both expressed support for marriage equality.
“I don’t think that my neighbor should be told that they cannot get married to the person that they love,” Draves said. “I was allowed to marry the man that I love, so why should that be any different?”
The redrawn 49th Senate District covers, in part, Milton, Ballston, Clifton Park, Malta, Niskayuna, Glenville and parts of the City of Schenectady. The redrawn 112th Assembly District covers, in part, Milton, Ballston, Clifton Park, Charlton and Halfmoon. The election is on Tuesday, Nov. 6.