A Rotterdam town board member is making a second run for the New York State Assembly.
Conservative Joe Mastroianni is challenging sixth-term Democratic Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara in the 111th district.
Mastroianni is a Schenectady native who has served three terms in Rotterdam. "I'm a registered Conservative, which is the largest minor party in New York state. So I'm a third party candidate, but I run with the Republicans. I have the Schenectady County, Montgomery County Republican Party endorsement for this year's run," Mastroianni said.
Mastroianni made an unsuccessful bid for the seat in 2022, losing by nearly 4,000 votes. He says the need for change has not waned in the last two years. "Angelo is a great guy. He has served for a very long time in government. You know, he draws a lot of attention to things. But he was once a Republican, he's now a Democrat. He's elected to be a legislator. He's not elected to be giving out big cardboard checks everywhere around town and, you know, taking pictures. He's elected to make laws to try and find compromise. I don't see that happening. I don't see any cross dialogue. I'm a third party candidate. I'm willing to work with Republicans, Democrats, upstate, downstate. We just need to be using good government. In not this, you know, reckless spending and reckless social agenda. We need to get out of people's lives. We need to make New York State Great Again,” said Mastroianni.
Mastroianni has made conspiratorial posts on social media relating to the 911 attacks, the COVID pandemic and the 2020 presidential election.
For this run, Mastroianni vows to work together with all legislators for the greater good. He's turning solar and wind into a political argument, saying he doubts alternative energy sources will propel New York's climate goals of 70% renewable energy by 2030, arguing the electric grid will not be able to handle the increased demand.
"And the future will provide a more elegant design, but solar is not the answer," Mastroianni said. "It's part of it. But, it's the pandering of the Democrat Party in New York State. It's the geographical detachment of downstate from upstate. There's a recklessness to the spending, and to the social agendas, that is concerning to so many people. And that's why I'm running to, you know, be able to push back. One-party rule is not good government. It's not, it's not good democracy."
Santabarbara declined several requests for comment on his re-election bid, saying it’s not election season yet. Mastroianni says he's ready to debate his opponent at any time.
"My first time running, we won Rotterdam, which is Angelo's hometown. We lost in Schenectady, really where they're just a tremendous number of votes. And, you know, I've lived and worked in Schenectady my whole life, most of my life, and I campaigned in every neighborhood in Schenectady, but, you know, there's a lot more people that I didn't reach, you know, and that's gonna be different this year," said Mastroianni.
As for his plans if elected, Mastroianni claims New York and California ae the most radical states in the country... "…pushing reckless, irresponsible policies with no regard for, with no opposition. And people of upstate don't feel represented. The Democrat Party in New York State is dominated by downstate Democrats who are pushing the most radical ideas so recklessly in a time of inflation. That, you know, people are fed up. And, you know, this race is not about me, I'm just the candidate. This is about, you know, hardworking, upstate New York, people who do the right thing, who don't break any laws, who want to be able to, you know, secure a free and prosperous future for their children, and we're willing to do whatever it takes to do that," Mastroianni said.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th.
