Democrat Michael Cashman has declared victory in the special election for New York’s 115th state Assembly District in the North Country, though the race remains too close to call.
As of midnight Wednesday, the Plattsburgh town supervisor was leading Republican retired State Police major and troop commander Brent Davison 52% to 47% — a lead of about 1,600 votes — according to the latest unofficial results from the state Board of Elections.
If Cashman’s lead remains, a victory would keep the seat in Democratic hands, maintaining the status quo in the state’s lower chamber, where Democrats have held a supermajority for years.
The 115th state Assembly District encompasses all of Clinton County, Franklin County and a few towns in Essex County. The seat was vacated in September when Democrat Billy Jones stepped down after nearly a decade in office to take another job.
The race to succeed him has been quiet battle among the two major parties, as Jones had been the sole Democrat representing the North Country in the state Legislature for the last nine years.
Lasting tension over violence in state prisons and a shortage of correction officers, coupled with the correction officer strike earlier this year and larger conversation over the HALT Act, which limited the use of solitary confinement, loomed heavy in this race.
If Cashman ultimately wins, he will have to run again in 2026 when all state Legislature seats are regularly on the ballot.