The race for the newly drawn 46th New York state Senate District seat pits Democratic incumbent Neil Breslin against Rensselaerville
Republican Rich Amedure.
The new 46th includes the city of Albany and the towns of Bethlehem, Berne, Coeymans, Guilderland, Knox, New Scotland, Rensselaerville and Westerlo. Democrat Neil Breslin, who currently represents the 44th district, is seeking a 14th term.
"I'm running in a new district, though the new district is more than 50% of voters that I don't currently represent," said Breslin. "So it's a new and challenging district. I've been used to being around the tri City area. This, my new district, goes for the entire Montgomery County, most of Schenectady County except for the city of Schenectady. And the city of City of Albany is still my district, as is Bethlehem, and they've added back in the Town of Guilderland."
Amedure, a former U.S. Army Reserve Drill Sergeant, had begun the campaign season intending to run against Senator Michelle Hinchey to represent what was then redrawn as the 48th district. Amedure was coming off a loss in the 46th district against Hinchey two years ago. When new lines were again ordered to be drawn, Hinchey found herself pitted against Republican Senator Sue Serino in the 41st.
Focusing now on the match-up against Breslin, Amedure says it’s time for a change in leadership.
"So the interesting thing is that that is the northern half of the 46th Senate district that [is where] I ran in two years ago," Amedure said. "So I'm very familiar with the area for territory from Montgomery through Albany, and all they basically did was cut off Greene and Ulster County and added the city of Albany in the population was about the same, so. Neil's been in the Senate for 26 years. He's 80 years old this year. So God bless him. Hopefully we can let him retire and retire in peace."
Breslin, who has been on the road campaigning in the new district, says he's not about to slow down.
"I did consider, when would be the last time and my leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and a few of the other leaders said that we are not going to let you leave," Breslin said. '"And, you know, having a lot of the responsibilities in leadership, and being in the Capital District creates a lot of work for me, but work I enjoy. You know, the reason I did this in the first place is I thought I could make a difference in people's lives by making it a more equal and fair place to live and work. I've been to Rotterdam, I've been to Amsterdam. I've been to Fort Plain. I've been to west of Schenectady, the city of Schenectady, I tried to get to as many places as I can. As a matter of fact, it's been kind of exciting meeting a new group of people."
Amedure, a distant cousin of former state Senator George Amedore, says the issues facing the new district are the same ones he cited when it appeared he would challenge Hinchey.
"That bail and discovery is going to be disaster, you know, that their economic policy is a mess, all these things," said Amedure. "They were theoretical then. They’re actual in fact, now, they're, in fact. And they've come through worse than we thought they would. And it's a shame. You know, the legislature always wants to end qualified immunity for police officers, police officers enforce the laws that they write. Qualified immunity should be ended for, for law makers, when they make laws that cost people their lives, or their livelihoods. They should be held accountable. And this is the problem. Nobody's held accountable right now.”
Amedure argues government is not working for the people of the 46th district. “I want to get down there and put this thing back on the tracks and get it rolling,” said Amedure.
Breslin says he's running on his record, and notes: "We've had a very, very hostile environment in elective office. And I compare it to when I first started. It's frightening," Breslin said.
Early voting is now under way. Amedure is also running on the Conservative line and Breslin on the Working Families line. Election Day is November 8.
This article originally identified Rich Amedure as a Greene County resident. In fact, Mr. Amedure is a Greene County native who currently resides in the Albany County Town of Rensselaerville.
