Republican Mike Bolles is hoping to unseat incumbent Democrat Senator Lea Webb in the race for Senate District 52 located in the Southern Tier and Central New York region.
Bolles has spent most of his life in public service between his time in the Army, as a firefighter and as a federal criminal investigator.
“I can’t stay on the sidelines and just complain about things. It’s time to get in,” Bolles said.
Bolles’ top concern? Affordability.
He wants to bring electricity prices down.
“Electricity costs going up are going to send the price of everything else up,” he said.
Webb agrees affordability is a top issue, and said she’s working to address it.
“Healthcare, housing, most certainly utility costs, all of these foundational or essential needs that our communities have. It’s very important that we continue to not only actively address these issues at the state and all levels of government, but that we are most certainly centering the voices of community members who are the most impacted,” Webb said.
Webb said she’s helped bring hundreds of thousands of dollars to the district.
Bolles said he’ll apply the skills he’s learned to help New Yorkers.
“I’ve been a blue-collar worker my whole life. I started working young. It was there that I learned about accountability, resilience, discipline. And, I would bring that same commitment to the people of the 52nd District,” said Bolles.
“It’s important that you’re in the community and actively listening and creating spaces for engagement,” said Webb.
State Senate District 52 covers Cortland, Tompkins and parts of Broome counties.