CANANDAIGUA — His strategy in the Democratic Party primary for the 54th State Senate District was to leverage the base of voters in Ontario and Monroe counties, and it worked for Michael Mills, who also won over voters in Livingston County.
After the polls closed June 23, Mills held a 327-vote lead over Scott Comegys in the Democratic Party primary election, according to unofficial results from the state Board of Elections.
Mills earned 5,238 votes while Comegys garnered 4,911 votes.
The 54th State Senate District includes Ontario, Wayne and Livingston counties and parts of Monroe County.
Mills will go on to face incumbent state Sen. Pam Helming, who is running for re-election on the Republican and Conservative party lines. Like Mills, Helming is a town of Canandaigua resident. She also is a former Canandaigua town supervisor.
Mills, a former member of Canandaigua City Council, carried Ontario County, according to unofficial results from the Ontario County Board of Elections. Mills had 2,409 votes to Comegys’ 1,922 votes, with one district unreported as of midnight. Mills also carried Livingston County and the Monroe County portion of the district.
Comegys, who is chair of the Wayne County Democratic Committee, took his home county with 1,243 votes to Mills’ 784 votes, according to unofficial results from the Wayne County Board of Elections.
Mills said he was happy with the results after a closely-fought race.
“We put in the work it takes to put yourself in a position to win,” Mills said. “We had countless volunteers put in countless hours, knocking on doors, calling voters, having kneecap-to-kneecap conversations and at the end of the day, we think they saw the best chance to win in November was to put us forward.”
Comegys, a Palmyra alpaca farmer who ran unsuccessfully against Helming two years ago, said it was a good, close election but that he was disappointed in the result.
“At the same time, I am respecting the will of the people on this,” said Comegys, adding he will happily tell people that Mills’s vision is the way forward in November.
“I am truly appreciative of all the support I have been given and a lot of people have helped me out with this race,” Comegys continued. “The results were close and I cannot be anything but appreciative of all those people who gave their faith in me and helped me get to where we are.”
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Mills takes Democratic primary in 54th State Senate District
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
