Meeting Democratic Candidates for Assembly 102 and Senate 51
By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZELFRANKLIN
Democratic candidates seeking their party’s nomination for the New York State Assembly 102nd District and State Senate 51st District participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Franklin Democratic Committee/Franklin Forward at the Museum Community Building on Saturday, February 14. Candidates fielded questions from among the around 20 attendees at the hour-and-a-half-long forum.
Village of Catskill Trustee Thomas Boomhower, activist Mary Finneran, and Village of Delhi Trustee Janet Tweed are seeking the 102nd seat. Former Oneonta City Council Member Michele Frazier and Ulster County Legislator Chris Hewitt are seeking the 51st seat.
The 102nd includes the northeastern half of Otsego County including Cooperstown, and the 51st includes all of Otsego County.
Each candidate said they supported the New York Health Act, a statewide single-payer healthcare proposal, and opposed building the recently-revived Constitution Pipeline. The candidates all spoke about using healthcare as a way to bridge divides and win over independents and some Republicans.
While staying clear of directly criticizing each other, each candidate sought to position themselves as the most able to flip their respective seats, which have long been held by Republicans.
Opening Statements
“I’m a lifelong Democrat, I am an economic developer, I’m a historian, and I’m a committed public servant,” Boomhower said. He pointed to his mother’s work as a public servant as inspiration, adding that public service is about “using our voices to advocatetheir lives easier.”
Working in economic development in Greene County showed him that “our rural communities are resilient and hardworking and innovative, but the programs and systems designed to benefit us do not work for us.”
Finnerann said she was running to bring “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” into practice. Critical of both President Donald Trump and Governor Kathy Hochul on climate and environmental policy, she said, “We must create legislations that not only protect our liberties, but legislation that stops the funding of violence as far as we are able.” She also called out the U.S.’s role in Gaza and Venezuela.
