Albany Common Councilor Sergio Adams is among the many Democrats now for the 109th district state Assembly seat.
Assemblywoman Pat Fahy is running for state Senate to replace retiring 14-term Senator Neil Breslin, a fellow Democrat, in the 46th District. Adams joins a field of candidates interested in the seat that continues to grow.
When we all got the news that Senator Breslin was stepping down, I don't think many of us anticipated that Assemblywoman Fahy would be vacating her seat," Adams said. "And for the most part, everyone knows that the party supports Assemblywoman Fahy in that seat. So, when I got the news, I was thinking about how we just had redistricting happen. And a lot of the discussions around redistricting was to be able to help communities have representatives that were reflective of their communities, of their values, and of their needs. And so I said to myself, well, you know, now that this district encompasses the entire city of Albany, I feel like this is an opportunity for someone that's a fresh face in politics, that has been doing work in the community, prior before office, but continuing that type of work up until now be in that seat, being able to have a representative that resonates with the community."
Adams has been on the council since 2021 representing the 7th Ward.
He is well aware of the challenges he'll face attempting to woo voters to cast their ballots for him in the June 25th Democratic primary.
“A good amount of the council is running for this race," said Adams. "And I will say that I think individually, we all bring something to the table that allows us to run for this seat. It really comes down to what the voters want to see in the next elected official that's holding this seat. And if the people want to see someone who is committed to community that has shown a track record of not only being involved, but leading and creating initiatives within the community, being able to support clearly legislation that impacts the city of Albany, being able to take on a difficult task and not stray away from it, then the choice is clear. But everyone, yeah, they have their own thing that they bring to the table. And hopefully, throughout this campaign season, voters will be able to speak to them, speak to myself, and really see who's the best candidate and best fit for this position.”
Adams says, if elected, he'll be a strong advocate for the people. “…who has not been wishy washy on the politics around, Good Cause Eviction, right to council, tenants’ rights, being a strong advocate for our schools here in the area, making sure that we have programming and connecting people to resources for their children, and standing up inside of city hall when there's issues that the public does not agree with. And we have a due diligence to educate our residents on issues, important issues, before making these decisions. And a lot of what I've seen, my experience being on the council, being involved in politics is that a lot of decisions get made prior to the masses knowing what's going on. And to me, that's unfair,” Adams said.
Adams, whose background is in urban planning and development, says he is ready to serve in higher office and vows to carry Fahy's torch when it comes to major issues like reimagining 787 and dealing with the closure of the College of Saint Rose.
"I do value and very much appreciate my position on the council," said Adams. "And I do take this very much seriously, because these are the concerns of the people that I represent and see every day. But with that said, it's also, when you have the opportunity and you see the ability for your community to do more, be better... as a person who wants to help and care, I have to at least take a shot of trying. Trying comes with experiences, trying comes with lessons, and those lessons and experiences turn into wisdom. And so I'm a sponge in this situation of learning, absorbing, meeting and speaking to people to hopefully better understand their needs."
The filing deadline to declare candidacy for Fahy's seat is April 4th. Other candidates in the field so far include fellow-councilors Gabriella Romero of the 6th Ward, Jack Flynn of the 8th, Owusu Anane of the 10th and Ginnie Farrell of the 13th. Three Albany County Legislators are also running: Sam Fein of the 6th district, Andrew Joyce of the 9th and Dustin Reidy of the 30th.
