The former Westchester County Executive just declared his intention to run against Democrat Pete Harckam.
Former County Executive (CE) Rob Astorino has announced via YouTube that he will run against Democrat Pete Harckham for the incumbent’s seat in the New York State Senate.
Astorino, a Thornwood native, sat on the Westchester County Board of Legislators for two years, before serving two terms as Westchester’s CE from 2010 through 2017, during which time he also made an attempted bid as the Republican gubernatorial candidate to unseat Andrew Cuomo in 2014. He has since appeared as a contributor and commentator to news stations such as C-SPAN and CNN.
The 40th District — which includes sections of Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties — will not be an easy battleground for Astorino. Just two years ago, voters swept Harckham into office, displacing then-incumbent Republican Terrence Murphy.
In his announcement video, Astorino built his platform’s pillars: an end to corruption in Albany by way of term limits and new ethics laws, the reduction of taxes while also limiting public spending, improving public schools, and “[strengthening] public safety by repealing the reckless cashless bail law and by improving our police, not defunding or abolishing them.”
Senator Harckham greeted his new challenger on social media, saying “I welcome Rob Astorino’s candidacy for the New York State Senate,” but adds, “I am confident that voters will send me back to Albany in November.”
https://www.facebook.com/PeteforNY/photos/a.152517762269931/676843426504026/
