As I highlighted in a diary back in March, two progressives, Madelyn Thorne (D - Glenville), a nursing home pastoral care director and Patti Southworth (D - Ballston), a former pharmacist who served several terms successfully as a Democratic supervisor on the Republican-dominated Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, are both now vying to challenge long-time State Senator Hugh Farley (R - Niskayuna). Over the past two months both campaigns have geared up and have remained positive, articulating their support for progressive positions, including the Women's Equality Act, raising the minimum wage and implementing campaign finance reform, all of which are opposed by Farley, who has long maintained one of the most right-wing voting records in the state legislature.
A video clip of Madelyn Thorne's speech in late March, announcing her run for the 49th State Senate District:
A recent television commercial for Patti Southworth, which aired in Saratoga, Schenectady and Fulton Counties last month:
(A 2013 mailer by the Working Families Party)
(A screen shot from Fair Elections for New York's website, from a diary post titled "
Seven Reasons Senate Republicans Oppose Fair Elections")
Once thought to be indestructible, Farley has come under fire over the past year for being one of the most outspoken critics of campaign finance reform in the legislature, all as he took almost $15,000 from the banking industry and sponsored legislation making it legal for predatory lenders to exploit low-income borrowers.
While many would still consider the 49th State Senate District race to be an uphill fight against the entrenched Farley, you can help to bring progressive change by volunteering or contributing to either Madelyn Thorne or Patti Southworth.