ALBANY—In New York’s 107th Assembly District, incumbent Republican Scott Bendett won re-election on Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Chloe Pierce.
According to the New York State Board of Elections, it was a close finish between incumbent and challenger. Bendett garnered just over 51% of the votes—a difference of approximately 4,800 votes—by the time polls closed Tuesday night.
A rewrite of district lines introduced Bethlehem town residents to the district, creating a dogleg over the Hudson River for an area formerly covered by Rensselaer and Washinton counties. The district now covers portions of Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer, and Washington counties.
Bethlehem was a potential challenge for the incumbent’s efforts for re-election. Since a shift in power 20 years ago, residents have predominately voted Democrat in the Albany suburb. That trend continued, giving Pierce more than 4,400 votes, or 65% of the ballots in that territory. However, Rensselaer residents made up the difference, pushing the incumbent over the hump with more than 8,700 votes.
Bendett, a local businessman and first-term legislator, initially won his Assembly seat in 2022. During his campaign, he focused on economic relief measures aimed at reducing costs for residents, including support for tax relief programs. He also emphasized his commitment to local control in housing development and advocated for public safety, stressing the importance of supporting law enforcement.
Pierce, a government affairs professional from the Capital Region, ran on a platform addressing cost-of-living issues, affordable housing, and public safety reforms that include mental health services in emergency response teams. She proposed measures to reduce property taxes by increasing the state’s share of education and Medicaid costs and advocated for affordable housing development for seniors, veterans, and working families.
Bendett’s re-election preserves the Republican hold on the district. In his second term, he is expected to continue focusing on issues related to cost-of-living relief and public safety.
