Rob Astorino

Two tight and contentious New York state Senate races have been decided — one in favor of the incumbent Democrat; the other for the Republican challenger. The New York Civil Liberties Union was seeking intervenor status in the latter until the race was decided. Still, the NYCLU says the issue in the race is a broader one that needs attention.

A first-term New York state senator in the Hudson Valley’s 40th District is declaring victory in what was a contentious race against a former Westchester County executive. The win assures a Democratic supermajority in the state Senate.

A number of New York state Senate races, especially in the Hudson Valley, hang in the balance, awaiting absentee ballot counting to see if Democrats gain ground. Two congressional races that are closer than expected expose a rift in the Democratic Party and the strength of Republicans regardless of President Trump’s actions. So says Dr. Dan McCarthy, an adjunct professor at Manhattanville College in Westchester County who specializes in American government. He spoke with WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne.

A number of New York state Senate races in the Hudson Valley have not been decided. It could be weeks before constituents know who will represent them next year.

A virtual debate between the candidates in New York’s 40th state Senate District covered just a few topics – the coronavirus pandemic, racial injustice and cash bail reform. The latter prompted the candidates to raise their voices and refute one another.

Former Westchester County executive and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Republican Rob Astorino wants to add New York state Senator to his résumé. He’s challenging first-term Democrat Pete Harckham in the 40th District. Before Harckham, the seat had been in Republican hands for a very long time. 

One New York state senate race in the Hudson Valley features a challenger who is no stranger to politics. Former Westchester County executive and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Republican Rob Astorino is challenging first-term Democrat Pete Harckham in the 40th District, which includes a large piece of Westchester.

A new year brings new leadership in many area communities. Here's a roundup of the swearing-ins in the Capital Region and beyond...

Republican Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino lost his bid for a third term in November. He hands over the keys in White Plains to Democrat George Latimer, who is leaving the state Senate to run the county. Astorino had won the previous two terms handily, in a county where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans 2-to-1.  Astorino spoke with WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne about his time in office, his run for governor in 2014 and more.

New York Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia says the state has made major changes to the Common Core English and math assessments since last year when 1 in 5 students refused to take them. Despite the changes, the children of a county executive in the Hudson Valley are opting out once again.

Before he became Westchester County Executive and the Republican candidate for governor of New York last year, Rob Astorino was director of the Sirius-XM satellite radio Catholic Channel. We spoke with Astorino about Pope Francis and his visit to America, and why the pope is attracting so much attention from the media, the faithful, and non-Catholics as well.

  Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Republican rival in last fall’s elections is offering his take on political dynamics at the Capitol. And it is not a positive viewpoint .

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino was at the Capitol to lobby, along with the statewide counties’ association, for items in the new state budget, including more mandate relief . The former unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor, says its Cuomo now who is losing political power and friends,  calling the governor Cuomo a “bully”.

It will probably go down as the biggest decision of the year in New York State – a ban on fracking. Wednesday’s news came the same day casino license recommendations were announced. Supporters of a fracking ban are celebrating the long-awaited decision while opponents say they are disappointed and the Southern Tier, where fracking would have taken place, is doomed.

After losing the New York governor’s race, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino returns full throttle to his county post. WAMC’s Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Allison Dunne has a look at how his gubernatorial campaign may impact his county role.

Full audio from the WBFO/WNED gubernatorial debate between New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, Green Party candidate and Libertarian Michael McDermott  last night:

Four of the candidates running for governor of New York will be participating in a debate shown on public television and heard on WAMC Wednesday night.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says he plans to visit Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic before Election Day.

Cuomo, speaking after marching in the Columbus Day parade, says he wants to make a trip to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in the next couple of weeks.

“I’d like to get there before Election Day,” Cuomo said. “As a sign of respect to those two communities that I’ve worked with for a very long time.”

Governor Cuomo, his democratic running mate Kathy Hochul and other women’s rights advocates spoke to a cheering crowd of union members and local elected officials, as part of a three city upstate bus tour to promote a 10 point women’s rights plan.

New York Governor Cuomo has accepted two debate offers from media outlets, but neither format includes a one-on-one televised contest between the incumbent Democrat and his Republican opponent. GOP candidate Rob Astorino is objecting.

A salsa legend is endorsing Republican Rob Astorino for New York governor.

The Republican candidate for governor of New York, Rob Astorino, is far behind in the polls and in fundraising compared to incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo. But Astorino is making the most of his campaign, quick to improvise or bend a situation to his advantage. And he maintains that he expects to win.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the incumbent governor with a $35 million war chest who is well ahead in the polls, is employing a classic Rose Garden strategy. He seldom holds an overtly political event, and his limited public schedule often includes a carefully stage managed  economic development announcement.

The Republican candidate for governor of New York temporarily upstaged incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo, when Rob Astorino appeared unexpectedly at the Business Council’s annual meeting, and attempted to talk to the governor.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, was in Plattsburgh this morning to meet with local business leaders.

This election season seems to feature more than the usual amount of negative ads in New York, with television spots painting opponents in a dark light. But an ad that criticized a candidate’s choice of a football team may have backfired when controversy arose over a picture that was altered to cut out his son.

The primaries are over in New York and the focus now shifts to the general elections, which are a little over seven weeks away. Incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo faces Republican challenger Rob Astorino.

A Quinnipiac University poll shows the race for New York governor virtually unchanged since the spring, with incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo far ahead of his Republican and Democratic challengers.  The favorable ratings for Cuomo come after weeks of negative news stories about the governor’s alleged interference in an ethics panel, and an ongoing federal investigation.

Details about alleged interference in an ethics probe by Governor Andrew Cuomo’s aides are leaking out daily, and most newspapers have run critical editorials. But it remains to be seen how deeply the controversy will affect the race for governor, where Cuomo is still the front-runner by a wide margin.