By Assemblyman Robert Smullen
This fall, New Yorkers face a defining moment for our state’s future. On one side are the failed policies of one-party rule – higher taxes, rising crime, and more bureaucracy strangling small businesses. On the other side are those of us fighting to restore balance, rebuild our economy, and return common sense to Albany.
Two elections in particular will shape what happens next: the mayor’s race in New York City and the special election in the 115th Assembly District. Together, they will determine whether New York continues down a path of decline or begins a comeback driven by responsible leadership.
In New York City, voters are poised to decide whether to hand the keys of America’s largest city to the far left. The leading Democratic candidate has openly embraced socialist policies – proposals that would explode city spending by billions of dollars, hike taxes on working families, and drive even more employers and jobs out of New York. Those policies would ripple far beyond the five boroughs.
Every time New York City raises spending, the rest of the state pays for it. State taxpayers already subsidize much of the city’s budget, from housing to transportation. If a socialist mayor takes office and enacts a new wave of giveaways and entitlement programs, it will force Albany to find even more money – and that means higher taxes on everyone else.
We’ve seen this movie before. When downstate politicians run up the tab, Upstate pays the bill. Now imagine that same pattern on steroids, with City Hall controlled by a candidate whose platform looks more like a college protest manifesto than a governing agenda. It’s not just a local issue – it’s a direct threat to Upstate families, small businesses, and taxpayers who are already stretched thin.
That’s why the special election in the North Country’s 115th District is so important. It’s our chance to send a clear message that New Yorkers are ready for change.
Brent Davison, the Republican nominee, is a retired New York State Police major who spent his career protecting our communities and standing up for the rule of law. He understands the challenges facing the North Country – from the high cost of living to the endless regulations that make it harder for local employers to grow. Brent has the kind of leadership experience and integrity we need in Albany.
His opponent, Michael Cashman, is the Plattsburgh Town Supervisor and a loyal foot soldier for the same Democratic establishment that’s run this state into the ground. Cashman has proudly sought, accepted, and embraced the endorsement of the Socialist Working Families Party – the same far-left party that supports defunding the police, abolishing capitalism, shutting down prisons, and releasing violent criminals on early parole. That tells you everything you need to
know about where he stands and who he answers to. A vote for him is a vote for more of the same – more spending, more mandates, and more one-party control.
The 115th District – covering Clinton and Franklin Counties and five towns in Essex County – has a proud history of independence. For too long, though, its voice has been drowned out by downstate politicians who treat rural New York as an afterthought. Electing Brent Davison would give the North Country a strong new voice in Albany and help chip away at the Democratic supermajority that has turned New York into a laboratory for bad ideas.
Early voting begins October 25 and runs through November 2. This is not an off-year to sit out. Every vote matters, especially when we’re fighting to restore balance to our government.
The stakes could not be higher. Across New York, small businesses are being crushed by red tape, farmers are struggling under new environmental mandates, and families are paying the price for energy policies that drive up heating and electricity costs. Meanwhile, criminals benefit from broken bail laws while police departments are demoralized and underfunded.
We can change that – but only if we show up.
Republicans are rebuilding, district by district, town by town, and we are gaining ground. Upstate New Yorkers know that our future depends on turning this state around. Brent Davison’s race is about more than one Assembly seat. It’s about beginning the process of restoring accountability, strengthening public safety, and reining in Albany’s addiction to spending.
When I served in the Marine Corps, I learned that leadership means standing up even when the odds seem long. That’s exactly what Brent Davison is doing – and it’s what all of us must do this election season.
If we win in the 115th, it will send shockwaves through Albany. It will prove that New Yorkers are ready to push back against socialism in the city and reckless spending in the Capitol. It will be the first step toward a future where hard work is rewarded, businesses can thrive, and our communities are safe again.
This November, let’s make that future a reality. Vote for Brent Davison. Vote for balance, for common sense, and for the values that make Upstate New York strong.
Assemblyman Robert Smullen is Chair of the Republican Conference in the New York General Assembly. He was elected to represent the 118th Assembly District in 2018. He lives in Fulton County with his wife and children.