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Tedisco Heads To State Senate

Lucas Willard
/
WAMC

Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco has served the Capital Region for 33 years. He’ll go onto represent New Yorkers in retiring Senator Hugh Farley’s 49th district this January after securing 70 percent of the vote on Tuesday.

Tedisco thanked his supporters, saying that while his title will change, he will “still be the same Jim Tedisco — as outspoken and independent as ever.”

Tedisco also thanked the outgoing Farley, who represented the district that stretches from Schenectady into the Adirondacks for four decades.

“I know Senator Farley has big shoes to fill, a great legacy. But I’m going to work very hard to follow that legacy. And I’m going to only have one set of bosses. And it won’t be any leaders, it won’t be any conference. I’ll listen to everybody. But my work on the policies and legislation and the bills will only amount to what I can do support the constituents of the 49th Senatorial District,” said Tedisco.

Tedisco also thanked his Democratic opponent Chad Putman for his interest in public service and for running a clean campaign.

“No mud-slinging, no negativity. I talked about the issues and Chad, I think for the most part, talked about the issues, so I think it was just a hard-fought campaign,” said Tedisco.

Putman congratulated Tedisco on the win and said he will remain active in the political process.

“I’m very much invested in the political process. I’ll be continuing to work on local political races as well as assisting however I can on state level races because I recognize how important it is for people to get involved,” said Putman.

Putman said he does not have his eye any particular seat at the moment.

Tedisco, who lost a razor-thin special election for Congress in 2009, won his primary against Republican challenger Christian Klueg. Another Republican challenger, Nancy Nugent, did not gather enough petition signatures to appear on the September ballot.

As Tedisco readies for a return to Albany, albeit in a different chamber, he reiterated his belief in the importance of a Republican-controlled Senate in a state that has an overwhelmingly Democratic Assembly and Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“You need that checks and balances, and I’m proud of the fact that I’ll be able to stand up and be a point-counterpoint,” said Tedisco.

Republican Mary Beth Walsh was elected to succeed Tedisco in the 112th Assembly District.

Lucas Willard is a reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011.
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