Voice of Business Blog

As the voice of business for over 1,300 members in the Greater Rochester region, Greater Rochester Chamber aims to keep our members active and informed in the legislative process.

In the aftermath of last week's elections, we bring you a breakdown of the results that matter most to the Greater Rochester region. While it doesn't cover every election, it provides a comprehensive overview of the outcomes that directly impact our business community.

To keep our members informed on information relevant to the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes region, Director of Advocacy, Public Policy, and Intergovernmental Affairs Joe Leathersich drafted the below brief to summarize the presentation into what you need to know.

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There was a lot on the ballot for the 2024 election beyond the presidential election. The entire House of Representatives was up for election, as well as some U.S. Senate seats, including New York’s Kristen Gillibrand. And at the State level, both chambers of the New York State Legislature, the Senate and Assembly, were up for reelection; also on the ballot was Prop 1, which offered a constitutional amendment to the New York State constitution.

Federal Offices Locally
Our nine-county region is currently represented by two members of the House of Representatives in Rep. Joe Morelle (D, NY-25) and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R, NY-24), both of whom won their reelection bids on November 5 into the upcoming 119th U.S. Congress. Morelle was elected to his fourth consecutive term in this district; Tenney was elected to her third consecutive.

In the Senate, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was elected to her third full term. She first joined the Senate in in 2010 through a special election.

In a year when Republicans made inroads into some of the Democrats’ most reliable communities, Morelle actually gained ground over his 2022 victory (when he won with nearly 54 percent of the vote). New York’s 24^th district held consistently with Tenney bringing in roughly the same margin over 2022. Statewide, House Democrats were able to flip three seats back in their favor.

NY-25

• Joseph D. Morelle – 60.4%
• Gregg Sadwick – 39.6 %

NY-24

• Claudia Tenney – 65.8%
• David Wagenhauser – 34.2%

U.S. Senate

• Kirsten Gillibrand – 58.4%
• Michael Sapricone – 41.1%

 

New York State Offices
Our region will have a lot of familiar faces back in Albany this year with all of the incumbents winning their races in the Assembly and Senate. The only new face will come from the Assembly’s 133rd District since current Assemblymember, Marjorie Byrnes, announced her retirement earlier this year. At Greater Rochester Chamber, we believe this can bode well in our advocacy for our members! Having relationships with those going back to Albany are key to getting our work done on behalf of business owners across the Finger Lakes Region.

Our delegation will be returning to an Albany where the Democrats remain in power in both houses, though with some changes in the Senate. In New York’s upper chamber, Republicans were able to flip two seats, removing the Democrats’ veto-proof supermajority.

 

New York State Senate

54^th District

• Pamela Helming – 65%
• Scott Comegys – 35%

55^th District

• Samra Brouk – 61%
• Luis Martinez – 39%

56^th District

• Jeremy Cooney – 58%
• Jim VanBrederode – 42%

57^th District

• George Borelleo (uncontested)

58^th District

• Thomas O’Mara (uncontested)

62^nd District

• Rob Ortt (uncontested)

 

New York State Assembly

131^th District

• Jeff Gallahan (uncontested)

132^nd District

• Phil Palmesano (uncontested)

133^rd District

• Andrea Bailey – 65%
• Colleen Walsh-Williams – 35%

134^th District

• Josh Jensen (uncontested)

135^th District

• Jen Lunsford – 58%
• Kimberly DeRosa – 42%

136^th District

• Sarah Clark – 67%
• Orlando Rivera – 33%

137^th District

• Demond Meeks – 71%
• Marcus Williams – 29%

138^th District

• Harry Bronson – 61%
• Tracey DiFlorio – 39%

139^th District

• Steve Hawley (uncontested)

 

Prop 1
On the ballot statewide was Prop 1 which passed with 62 percent of New Yorkers voting for it. With this passing, New Yorkers amended the State’s Constitution to add language that seeks to expand protections based on “ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed [or], religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy” The full ballot measure can be read here on New York’s Board of Elections website.

 

For questions, please contact Director of Advocacy, Public Policy, and Intergovernmental Affairs Joe Leathersich