2020 NYS Legislative Primaries
June 18th, 2020
On Tuesday (6/23), New York will hold the first state legislative primaries under the new political calendar. Despite the new date and the unprecedented cloud of a public health crisis, much of the traditional political dynamics are the same. Upstate primaries remain rare, occurring almost exclusively in open seats where the incumbent is retiring or seeking higher office. In contrast, downstate features several races, particularly in Democrat enclaves where the primary is almost certain to determine the outcome in November.
Below is a list of some of the significant primaries taking place next week.
While the majority of upstate primaries are taking place in open seats, many of the significant downstate primaries feature well known incumbents being challenged by progressive activists. Prominent Democrats like Catherina Nolan, Michael Dendekker, David Weprin, Arvella Simotas and Joe Lentol are all facing primary challenges. Many of the candidates are backed by the “NO IDC” groups or DSA, who have turned their focus toward electing more progressive members to the state legislature.
More than any one race, the most interesting outcome to watch for on Tuesday will be whether New York continues to trend further to the left. Many of the primaries feature a spectrum of candidates with progressives looking to increase their foothold in Albany. Tuesday’s races will provide a sense of how much change we should anticipate in the legislature in the years to come.
New York State Senate Primaries
Senate District 61 (Erie, Genesee, Monroe) – Open (Ranzenhofer)
- Dem Candidates: Jacqualine Berger, Joan Seamans, Kim Smith
- Rep Candidates: Ed Rath
Senate District 56 (Monroe) – Open (Robach)
- Dem Candidates: Jeremy Cooney, Hilda Rosario Escher, Sherita Traywick
- Rep Candidates: Michael Barry Jr.
Senate District 46 (Montgomery, Green, Schenectady, Albany, Ulster) – Open (Amedore)
- Dem Candidates: Gary Greenberg, Michelle Hinchey
- Rep Candidates: Richard Amedure
Senate District 38 (Rockland, Westchester) – Open (Carlucci)
- Dem Candidates: Eudson Francois, Elijah Richlin-Melnick, Justin Sweet
- Rep Candidates: William Weber Jr., Matthew Weinberg
Senate District 32 (Bronx) – Sepulveda
- Dem Candidates: Luis Sepulveda, John Perez, Pamela Stewart-Martinez
- Rep Candidates: None
Senate District 25 (Brooklyn) – Open (Montgomery)
- Dem Candidates: Jabari Brisport, Jason Salmon, Tremaine Wright
- Rep Candidates: None
Senate District 12 (Queens) – Gianaris
- Dem Candidates: Mike Gianaris, Iggy Terranova
- Rep Candidates: None
Senate District 1 (Suffolk) – Open (LaValle)
- Dem Candidates: Laura Ahearn, Valerie Cartwright, Nora Higgins, Skyler Johnson, Thomas Schiavoni
- Rep Candidates: Anthony Palumbo
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY PRIMARIES
Assembly District 149 (Erie) – Open (Ryan)
- Dem Candidates: Adam Bojak, Robert Quintana, Jonathan Rivera
- Rep Candidates: Joseph Totaro
Assembly District 140 (Erie, Niagara) – Open (Schimminger)
- Dem Candidates: William Conrad, Kevin Stocker
- Rep Candidates: Robert Pecoraro
Assembly District 138 (Monroe) – Bronson
- Dem Candidates: Harry Bronson, Alex Yudelson
- Rep Candidates: Peter Vazquez
Assembly District 137 (Monroe) – Open (Gantt)
- Dem Candidates: Ernest Flagler, Ann Lewis, Desmond Meeks, Silvan Orsi
- Rep Candidates: None
Assembly District 136 (Monroe) – Open (Romeo)
- Dem Candidates: Sarah Clark, Nelson Lopatin, Justin Wilcox
- Rep Candidates: None
Assembly District 134 (Monroe) – Open (Lawrence)
- Dem Candidates: Carolyn Carrol, Dylan Dailor
- Rep Candidates: Josh Jensen
Assembly District 131 (Ontario, Seneca) – Open (Kolb)
- Dem Candidates: Matthew Miller
- Rep Candidates: Jeff Gallahan, Ann Marie Heizmann, Jeff Shipley, Cynthia Wade
Assembly District 126 (Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Onondaga) – Open (Finch)
- Dem Candidates: Dia Carabajal
- Rep Candidates: Daniel Fitzpatrick, John Lemondes Jr.
Assembly District 125 (Cortland, Tompkins) – Open (Lifton)
- Dem Candidates: Sujata Gibson, Beau Harbin, Lisa Hoeschele, Anne Kelles, Jason Leifer, Jordan Lesser, Seph Murtagh
- Rep Candidates: Matthew McIntyre
Assembly District 122 (Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego) – Open (Crouch)
- Dem Candidates: Richard Shaw
- Rep Candidates: Joe Angelino, Victor Furman, Nicholas Libous, James Powers
Assembly District 108 (Albany) – McDonald
- Dem Candidates: John McDonald, Samuel Fein
- Rep Candidates: Petros Papanicolaou
Assembly District 93 (Westchester) – Open (Buchwald)
- Dem Candidates: Kristen Browde, Chris Burdick, Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, Mark Jaffe, Alexander Roithmayr
- Rep Candidates: John Nuculovic
Assembly District 51 (Brooklyn) – Ortiz
- Dem Candidates: Felix Ortiz, Genesis Aquino, Marcela Mitaynes, Katherine Walsh
- Rep Candidates: Rep
Assembly District 50 (Brooklyn) – Lentol
- Dem Candidates: Joe Lentol, Emily Gallagher, Brady Aarons
- Rep Candidates: None
Assembly District 37 (Queens) – Nolan
- Dem Candidates: Catherine Nolan, Danielle Brecker, Mary Jobaida
- Rep Candidates: None
Assembly District 36 (Queens) – Simotas
- Dem Candidates: Arvella Simotas, Zohran Kwame Mamdani
- Rep Candidates: None
Assembly District 35 (Queens) – Aubry
- Dem Candidates: Jeffrion Aubry, Hiram Monserrate
- Rep Candidates: Han Khon To
Assembly District 34 (Queens) – Dendekker
- Dem Candidates: Michael Dendekker, Joy Chowdhury, Angel Cruz, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Nuala O’Doherty-Naranjo
- Rep Candidates: William Marquez
Assembly District 24 (Queens) – Weprin
- Dem Candidates: David Weprin Albert Baldeo, Mahfuzul Islam
- Rep Candidates: None
Primary Day is Tuesday, June 23rd. You can find your polling place here.