KINGSTON – Democrat Michelle Hinchey, daughter of the late former U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey, made it official on Monday; she is seeking the 46th New York State Senate seat now currently held by George Amedore, a Republican.
Hinchey, of Saugerties, said she wants to” be a strong upstate voice and advocate” for communities in the district, which runs along the Hudson River from northern Ulster County, touching Albany and heading west with a boundary east of Herkimer.
“I am running to help our communities,” she said. “The Senate majority has done a great job in the last year, but we have a lot to do for our upstate communities.”
Hinchey wants to help ease the physical and emotional burden of health care after helping to care for her late father.
“We need to fix that dramatically,” she said.
An issue she believes facing this rural district is the lack of broadband, something she experienced recently in Tannersville to meet someone, and she had a hard time linking up due to a lack of internet connectivity.
“Honestly, it’s 2019,” she said, “we need to solve that problem.”
She also wants to ensure the regional economy is strong enough to create sound jobs for young people, who want to live here, and that rural school districts get equal funding.
“Better jobs for economic equity,” she said.
Hinchey made her announcement at the State Senate House Historic site in Kingston, and it was attended by local, state and federal officials, including Congressman Antonio Delgado, from the 19th District, and Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan.
“What I am so excited about is we have a chance to have someone in Ulster County who is aligned with the values of Ulster County,” said Ryan.
Ryan said he shares Hinchey’s effort to increase economic viability for young people and the need for broadband in rural communities
“Fighting for broadband across the county, which I hear every day is a problem,” he said.
