The newest Democrat headed to the New York state Assembly majority is hesitant to endorse Gov. Kathy Hochul for reelection next year — voicing concerns about her response to a severe shortage of correction officers and increased violence in state prisons.

Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman declared victory in the special election for the 115th Assembly District, defeating Republican candidate Brent Davison by more than 1,600 votes. Democrat Billy Jones recently vacated the North Country Assembly seat, which represents Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties.

“We’re going to work on affordability, we’re going to work on safety,” Cashman told reporters after votes were tallied early Wednesday morning. “We’re going to work on protecting our future and planning for our future.”

But minutes after declaring victory, Cashman said he has concerns about the leader of the state party and isn’t ready to endorse her in next year’s gubernatorial race.

“She and I have differences,” the assemblyman-elect said. “She needs to recalibrate some things and have some honest conversations about the safety of COs.

“I’m just getting into this,” he said. “I’m sure we’re going to have many more conversations about some differences.”

Democrats across the state are expected to go to bat for Hochul in 2026 in what’s expected to be a tough reelection bid against likely challenger U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Cashman said he’s unsure if he’ll stump for the incumbent governor amid lasting tension over prison violence and the recent conviction of a former officer in the fatal beating of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility last December.

Cashman wants to repeal the HALT Act, which limited the use of solitary confinement in state prisons, a push rejected by most Democrats in Albany.

While on the campaign trail last month, the town supervisor said he was alarmed by Hochul’s handling of the illegal wildcat strike in February and March, which resulted in the firing of more than 2,000 officers. Thousands of National Guard troops remain in New York prisons that are 4,500 COs short.

“I think it was abhorrent what the governor did to our COs,” Cashman told Spectrum News 1 in late October. “It was vindictive — some of the actions. In regards to the COs, at its very core, it was about health and safety, and I will always stand by individuals in that regard.”

Hochul’s campaign declined to comment.

The 115th Assembly District is evenly split between Republican, Democrat and independent voters.

Davison, a former state police troop commander and U.S. Army veteran, said he wasn’t sure how the ongoing federal government shutdown and delayed federal food assistance influenced voters at the ballot box.

“I definitely had several people voicing their displeasure with a shutdown as I was knocking on doors,” he said.

Former Gov. George Pataki helped campaign with Davison, who is also a former correction officer. 

“The people in the district said they were looking for change, so I still think they’re looking for some kind of change,” Davison said. “We just came up a little short, I don’t know what else we could do. We worked our tails off.”

Cashman, who will take office in January, said his position in the majority will help secure resources for the North Country — focusing on affordable housing, support for seniors and rural health care.

But the town supervisor added he hopes it will give him an edge to push back on Democrats who control the Legislature. Both candidates campaigned on fighting to delay the state’s all-electric mandates for buildings and vehicles they fear the state’s electric grid, and Northern New York, aren’t prepared for.

“I fully recognize that we’re not always going to get the resources and the things that we need, but I’m not shy for asking and providing our voice down in Albany,” Cashman said.

All voting results are unofficial until officially certified by the state Board of Elections.