Fulton County Treasurer Heather Scribner (R-C) officially announced her candidacy on Jan. 8 for the New York State Assembly to represent the 118th District, a seat currently held by Robert Smullen, who is running for U.S. Congress to represent New York’s 21st District, a seat for which incumbent Elise Stefanik (R 21st) has previously announced she will not seek re-election.
In a statement announcing her run, Scribner shared she “is running to bring accountability, safer streets and community-first leadership to Albany.”
“I’m running for state assembly because Upstate families deserve a strong conservative voice who will fight for our values, defend our freedoms, and deliver tangible results,” Scribner said in a statement.
“I’ve dedicated my career to fighting for taxpayers as county treasurer, town clerk and a small business owner. I understand the complex challenges our rural communities face and will push back against Kathy Hochul and the downstate Democrats’ burdensome mandates and dangerous pro-criminal policies like Bail Reform.”
Scribner’s experience, record of public service
According to Fulton County Board of Elections, Scribner won a second term as the Fulton County Treasurer this past November, after running unopposed with 5,390 votes cast in her favor vs. 539 write-in votes. She has served in the role since Jan. 2022.
Before serving as Fulton County Treasurer, according to a statement, Scribner owned and operated a small business, as well as working for over a decade as office administrator for the First Reformed Church of Schenectady after political roles including Town Clerk, Town of Charlton, and Administrative Assistant to the New York State Senate.
A “lifelong Republican,” she also serves as President of the New York State Federation of Republican Women.
“Most importantly,” Scribner shares, she “is a proud mom to three wonderful adult children – Hunter, Carter and Carson.”
Scribner priorities
Scribner describes her strengths to include a reputation for modernized financial practices, a commitment to strengthening local communities across the region, and her strong conservative values.
She advanced her priorities should the voters send her to the New York State Assembly to include: improving public safety, increasing affordability by cutting energy costs, supporting first responders, protecting family farms, and restoring fiscal discipline at the state level.
She promised a commitment to partnering with local governments, small businesses, and community organizations in order to give voice to the needs and concerns of the North Country and the Mohawk Valley in Albany.
“I’ve dedicated my career to public service, and I’m ready to take that experience to the Assembly,” Scribner added in a statement. “I love this region, and I’m committed to fighting every day for the people who call it home.”
Scribner went on to accuse “extreme liberal Democrats” of bankrupting the state and declared, “it’s time to fix it.”
Declared candidates, Primary and General Election schedule
The 118th Assembly District includes all of Hamilton County and parts of Otsego, Fulton, Herkimer, Oneida and Montgomery counties, representing a broad cross-section of Upstate New York’s rural and small-town heritage. Current Assemblyman Robert Smullen is not running for re-election.
Three other candidates have announced runs for NYS 118 to date, Fulton County Supervisor Charles “Charlie” Potter (R), Johnstown Town Supervisor Christina VanValkenburgh (R) and Gloversville native Chanda King (R), wife of former Mayor of Gloversville Dayton King.
As all four declared candidates are Republican, the party is currently looking at a 3-way primary election in June of this year.
The Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23, , and the General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Heather Scribner to run for NYS-118 on ‘community-first leadership’
Reporting by Cara Dolan Berry, Utica Observer Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
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