A race for the state Assembly in New York’s Capital Region pits a political newcomer against an incumbent hoping for a second term.
Democrat Chloe Pierce is competing against incumbent Republican Scott Bendett in the redrawn 107th District, which includes parts Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer and Washington Counties.
As of February, there were 33,098 Democrats, 28,520 Republicans and 30,647 unaffiliated voters in the district. That’s according to state Board of Elections enrollment figures.
Bendett ran unopposed in 2022 and says he’s confident he’ll be re-elected Tuesday. He has run heavily on his background a business owner of the Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe in Rensselaer.
“I've lived in the district for 30 years and been a contributing member during those 30 years, whether it be through coaching soccer, being a scout leader or, you know, being the president of the Education Foundation,” Bendett said. “And so, for me, I just kind of do my best every day, and that's to me, you know, the best way to campaign is not to just go and do it for the last few months. It's to just be out there in your community meeting people, and that's really the only way you can keep your finger on the pulse of the district.”
In his tenure as an assemblyman, the former Rensselaer County Legislator has sponsored bills that would establish a small business tax credit for businesses looking to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and a workers’ compensation law to provide bereavement benefits to parents whose child is stillborn or an infant determined not to be medically viable.
Bendett says he’s a supporter of agriculture in a district with rural pockets. He says he supports the use of local products in schools and wants to boost the sale of locally grown produce.
Earlier this year, the first-term Assemblyman was ordered to undergo sensitivity training by Speaker Carl Heastie. The Standing Committee on Ethics and Guidance found Bendett violated the Assembly’s policy prohibiting harassment, discrimination and retaliation by making two statements related to religion and national origin to an international intern. According to the committee, Bendett cooperated with an outside investigation of the incidents and demonstrated sincere remorse. Bendett, who hails from Averill Park, took full responsibility for his actions.
“My historical role in small business ownership has always been to have a flat organization and to let, you know, my employees manage me as much as I have managed them. And in this situation, when you're an Assemblyman and you have ‘more power than other people,’ even though sometimes I don't recognize that,” Bendett said. “I learned more about that power relationship. I would say and more to be careful when I speak with people, because I've always enjoyed debate. I've always loved working with young people in my in my job, challenging them. And when I had the discussion with the young man, it was, you know, an anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic conversation. It's something that I had to be more cognizant of after I watched that.”
Working Families Party-endorsed Democrat Chloe Pierce defeated fellow newcomer Kent Sopris in the Democratic Primary in June.
Pierce, who lives in Guilderland, is an activist and lobbyist.
Pierce says though she’s facing an incumbent, she feels it’s the right time and she’s the right choice.
“It's hard in a presidential year to not look at the top of the ticket and think about what's happening at the top of the ticket. And I think people are just getting really fed up with the divisive, hateful rhetoric and the fear mongering, and that's something that my opponent really plays into and incorporates into his policy and the way that he is as a legislator and a candidate,” Pierce said. “So, I think that in general is something that people are interested in with me, because that's not how I operate. But also, I think it's time that we have a younger, fresh voice. This will be the first time the seats ever held by a Democrat, first time it’s ever been held by a woman.”
She adds that even though the district leans Republican, she’s undaunted.
“I don't think that I want to work in a space where everyone's in agreement with me,” Pierce said. “I think it's so important to have different thought processes and different ways of life coming together at a table to make solutions that benefit as many people as possible.”
Pierce has made education a key part of her campaign. The Democrat is endorsed by the New York State Teachers Union and says she approaches education “holistically.”
“It's not just in terms of funding to make sure that they have the classroom resources, but healthy school meals for all was something that I was a huge advocate for in my current profession, and will continue to be a champion of if I'm elected to the state legislature.”
Election Day is November 5.