BEACON- Democrat Yvette Valdés Smith announced her candidacy for Senate District 39 which encompasses portions of Dutchess, Orange, and Putnam counties. She is the current Minority Leader of the Dutchess County Legislature and is challenging first-term Republican State Senator and former Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison.
“As a county legislator, I know firsthand what real issues look like on the ground. I know what it means when school funding doesn’t get delivered, affordability measures aren’t promoted, and environmental protections aren’t defended,” she said. “I’ve seen how families are struggling to make ends meet, and I’ve worked hard to uphold the best interests of those that I represent in Dutchess County. Now, I am running for Senate District 39 to elevate that fight to Albany, and bring home the bigger results that our region deserves.”
The announcement came with the support of around 30 current and former Democrat elected officials, party leaders from Dutchess, Orange, and Putnam counties, and the Local CWA 1120 union.
In her campaign announcement, she pledged to protect education funding, reproductive rights, labor protections, and climate goals, which she says have been attacked over the past two years.
