Assemblywoman Pam Hunter beat Daniel Ciciarelli on Tuesday, winning her fifth term in the New York State Assembly. Hunter has represented the assembly’s 128th district since 2015.
The Associated Press called the race just after 11 p.m.
The only female veteran in the Assembly, Hunter chairs the Female Veterans subcommittee and the Banking Committee. She also serves on the committees for Energy, Veterans, and Insurance.
“We have a lot of work that still needs to get done,” she said. “I’ve been able to pass a lot of legislation and bring a lot of resources back to the district, and so I’m looking forward to continue doing that.”
The 128th district spans parts of DeWitt, Salina, Syracuse, Onondaga and the Onondaga Nation.
“Our area needs assistance,” Hunter said. “Lots of great things are happening, but there are a lot of things that we still need assistance with. So that’s what I’m looking forward to continuing to do.”
The 128th district needs the most assistance with affordable housing — not market-rate housing, not homelessness, not public housing — for the lower-middle class, she said.
“Middle earners who are making $40 to $100,000 a year can’t find affordable housing — and that’s real,” Hunter said. “We need to be able to do better, so being able to find realistic solutions for housing. I will always continue to keep working on that.”
In the New York State Legislature, Hunter has been one of the main drivers behind “good cause” eviction legislation. The legislation is meant to force landlords to provide a reason for an eviction and also in some cases limit rent hikes. Hunter first backed the legislation in 2019.
She said in her next term, she’ll be committed to tackling issues of housing affordability, student absenteeism and literacy rates, and school funding.
Looking forward as presidential election results roll in, Hunter said she’s focused on the impact she can make locally.
“This year has been troubling,” she said. “I think the country is divided and people have really strong opinions and maybe some of them have not been rooted in fact, which is problematic. But I think every day provides us a new day, a new start to be able to do better, to be better, and I think that’s where we need to be at right now.”
Central Current reached out to Ciciarelli for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
This is breaking news and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
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