The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
May to challenge Valesky for Senate
SYRACUSE, N.Y. » Rachel May of Syracuse will challenge Sen. David Valesky for his District 53 seat in the Democratic primary on Sept. 13.
May submitted more than 2,500 Democratic signatures to the State Board of Elections in Albany on Friday. The signatures were gathered by more than 70 volunteers, with May knocking on more than 2,000 doors to gather more than 450 signatures alone.
Her campaign also submitted 75 Working Families Party petitions.
“The amount of effort put forth by our team has been astounding,” said May. “This was a true grassroots effort, going house to house and door to door, and I am deeply grateful for the many hours our volunteers put in.”
May is a lifelong Democrat and community activist who moved to the Syracuse area in 2001. She currently serves on the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Democratic Committee in Syracuse. As a board member of OCRRA, she helped get a state-of-the-art compost facility built in Onondaga County. May has also served on the board of FO- CUS Greater Syracuse and the mayor’s transition team for sustainability, as well as numerous grassroots groups working on education, the arts, and the environment.
Professionally, May has taught high school math, Russian language and literature at the college level, and is now coordinator of sustainability education at Syracuse University.
Valesky, from Oneida, has represented the 53rd District since 2004. In 2011, he joined the Independent Democratic Conference, a group of Democratic senators who caucused sepa- rately from other Democrats in the Senate, often siding with Republicans. The IDC dissolved in April. Valesky served as the former deputy leader of the IDC and former vice chairman of the Senate Health Committee. He is the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and he is a member of the Finance; Racing, Gaming, and Wagering; Rules; and Transportation committees. He is also a member of the Senate Select Committee on Libraries and the Rural Resources Commission.
Born and raised in Oneida, Valesky earned a Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam and a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut.
“Over and over again we heard from voters that they are ready for a change,” May said. “They’re ready for elected representatives who will stand up boldly for our values and won’t just take whatever deal is politically expedient at the time. I’m ready to be that champion to stand up for Central New York, and I’m looking forward to September.”
For more information on May’s campaign, visit www.rachelmay.org/home. For more information on Valesky, visit www.nysenate.gov/senators/davidj-valesky.