Democratic County Legislator Prepares Challenge To Sen. Patty Ritchie

Amy Tresidder, a Democratic Oswego County legislator, is preparing for a run against state Sen. Patty Ritchie, a first-term North Country Republican.

“Right now I’m pretty certain I’m going to run,” Tresidder said. “I haven’t seen any improvements since she’s taken office. There will probably be several key issues, number one that Albany is still not on the right track. You know what the economy is like right now, and people are unhappy with the status quo.”

Ritchie’s 48^th Senate District has significantly more Republican voters than Democrats, but Tresidder said she said it is critical to offer voters an alternative.  Darrel Aubertine, a popular Democrat and a veteran lawmaker, held the seat before Ritchie, after winning it in a special election. Despite heavy spending by the Senate Democrats, Ritchie ousted him in 2010 with 53 percent of the vote.

Tresidder, who plans to announce her candidacy in the next few weeks, said she had spoken with and expected to have the backing of Democratic Party leaders in Jefferson County, Oswego County and St. Lawrence County, where she was born and raised.

She was elected in 2009 to the Oswego County Legislature, and represents its 16^th District. Before that, she was a secretary for a retired and senior volunteer program and was a stay-at-home mom raising her five children.