Democratic Rensselaer County legislator eyes Assembly seat
RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y. » Longtime Democratic Rensselaer County Legislator Cindy Doran believes she is ready to move up in politics and move onto becoming a state- elected official.
Doran was nominated last month to be the Democratic candidate in a special Assembly seat election taking place April 24 to fill the seat of former Republican Assemblyman and current Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin.
McLaughlin left his 107th Assembly seat after becoming county executive this year. The 107th Assembly district covers parts of Rensselaer, Columbia and Washington counties.
Doran, 58, will challenge Jake Ashby, a newcomer Republican candidate from District 4 in the county leg- islature.
Doran was elected to a f ull term in off ice as a county legislator in 2013, representing the city of Troy. For the special election, Doran has also secured the endorsement of the Working Families and Women’s Equality parties.
Originally from Malone, Doran has taught and lived in Troy for more than 30 years.
Doran graduated with high honors from the College of Saint Rose with a bachelor’s degree in Business/Secondary Education and a Minor in Mathematics. She holds a master’s degree in Advanced Classroom Teaching/ Business Education from the University at Albany.
For 30 years, Doran has taught classes in college accounting, finance, business mathematics, economics, word processing, and career education at Troy High School, as well as courses for Hudson Valley Community College and Cornell University at work place sites.
She has also been a substitute teacher in the Lansingburgh and Brunswick school districts and has worked at Albany Medical College as an Administrative Support Assistant.
Doran said after hearing there would be a special election for the empty seat — and after people talked with her about running — she decided it would be a good time now to try to move on to government at the state level.
“I really gave it some serious thought for about a week. I was weighing the pros and the cons, but this is a different opportunity
and it’s an important opportunity and I felt that I should take it,” Doran said. “I want to ensure that all of the working families and all of the individuals of the 107th Assembly district are fairly represented at the state level.”
Doran said she believes she would be able to work with the majority of the Assembly and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo more easily then McLaughlin used to.
“The person before me — and not to make it sound negative because this is not a negative comment — but the fact is he didn’t work with the majority of the Assembly. He didn’t work with the governor and he opposed legislation, so I don’t know what he really did for the people of the 107th district,” she said. “I want to make a difference and I want to truly represent the people of the 107th.”
Doran said she hopes the state budget is passed on time this year before the special election date. She added if elected she would be able to help address the water issues going on in many communities of the
107th district.
Doran also mentioned how public education funding will be a priority.
“These water issues have to be addressed and they have to be followed through with, whether it’s meeting with the DEC and DOH and asking for a monthly review and staying on top of the current problems dealing with water,” Doran said. “Public education funding is always go-
ing to be a very important issue and we have to ensure that are struggling highneeds schools are receiving the state funding that they need.”
Doran said she has been campaigning in the 107th Assembly district and will continue to until the special election.
The winner of the special election will have to run again for that seat this November.