Capital Region News

Meet Andrea Smyth, Candidate For Rensselaer County Executive

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas
Published August 3, 2017 at 11:05 AM EDT
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Andrea Smyth is executive director of the New York State Coalition for Children's Behavioral Health. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida and the Rockefeller College Graduate School of Public Affairs and Policy at UAlbany.
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In June, Rensselaer County Democrats picked Andrea Smyth to run for county executive. Smyth hopes to succeed Republican incumbent Kathleen Jimino, who caught supporters off-guard when she decided not to seek a fifth term. WAMC's Capital Region Bureau Chief spoke with Smyth about her political aspirations.

Smyth is scheduled be introduced by Congressman Paul Tonko when she officially kicks off her campaign at 1 p.m. today at Riverfront Park in the city of Rensselaer. State Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin and Deputy County Executive Christopher Meyer — who is backed by retiring County Executive Kathy Jimino — are running in a bitter race on the Republican side.

Capital Region NewsRensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino2017 elections
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Dave Lucas
Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
See stories by Dave Lucas
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