Unlike during primary season in New York, when many hot state legislative contests are in New York City or elsewhere downstate, the most tightly contested races in November are taking place in many different areas of the state. And those races come with a variety of dynamics, be it varying demographics or stronger coattails from the top of the ticket. With Republicans unlikely to gain a majority in either chamber anytime soon, a lot of the intrigue in this year’s races is about where Democrats can make inroads in an expected “blue wave” election – and whether they can once again secure a supermajority in the state Senate. With the general election nearing, here are the state legislative races we’ll be keeping an eye on.
State Senate District 7
Incumbent: Jack Martins (R), who is not seeking reelection
Candidates: Rory Lancman (D) and Jake Blumencranz (R, C)
2024 state Senate election: Martins 55.1%, Kim Keiserman (D) 44.8%
2024 presidential election: Donald Trump +4.1
2022 gubernatorial election: Lee Zeldin 53.7%, Kathy Hochul 45.8%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 82,087 active Democrats, 67,218 active Republicans
What you need to know:
This is a traditionally swingy seat, shifting back and forth between Democrats and Republicans over the past 20 years. Currently it’s held by state Sen. Jack Martins, who bested former state Sen. Anna Kaplan – a Democrat – in 2022 to win back the district he represented in the 2010s. Rory Lancman, a former New York City Council member who represented part of eastern Queens, originally entered the race to unseat Martins. But the Republican incumbent made a last-minute decision not to seek reelection after a state judge affirmed that outside income limits will take effect next year, prompting local GOP leaders to nominate two-term Assembly Member Jake Blumencranz in his place.
Martins dispatched his Democratic opponent easily two years ago, but with the seat now open, the race is even more up in the air. Lancman has a long track record in elected office, including a stint in the Assembly, but he has never represented Long Island. Blumencranz, meanwhile, handily won both his elections but is a relative newcomer to the political scene and has represented a more reliably Republican district. Lancman had $250,000 in cash on hand as of Oct. 23, while Blumencranz had $331,000. – Rebecca C. Lewis
State Senate District 9
Incumbent: Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R, C)
Challenger: Lisa Vider (D)
2024 state Senate election: Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick 67.3%, James Lynch (D) 32.4%
2024 presidential election: Trump +4.1
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 55.2%, Hochul 44.3%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 94,653 active Democrats, 68,658 active Republicans
What you need to know:
The 2024 outcome of the state Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick’s election may make this Long Island seat appear uncompetitive. But despite her landslide victory, the seat has alternated between parties each time it has gotten a new representative during the past couple decades. Voters first elected Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick after former Democratic state Sen. Todd Kaminsky resigned in 2022. And Kaminsky replaced former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos in 2016 after his resignation and arrest.
The state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee isn’t targeting the district as one of its priority pickup opportunities, but Democrats in the area are bullish about healthcare executive Lisa Vider. Though new to being a candidate, Vider has spent time in Albany advocating for healthcare providers. If elected, she would also be New York’s first Orthodox Jewish woman to serve in the state Senate.
Vider had over $200,000 in cash on hand 11 days before the election, and Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick had $295,000 at the same time. – Rebecca C. Lewis
State Senate District 17
Incumbent: Steve Chan (R, C, Stop Mamdani)
Challenger: Larry He (D)
2024 state Senate election: Chan 54.7%, Iwen Chu (D) 44.9%
2024 presidential election: Trump +14.6
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 55.9%, Hochul 42.5%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 64,859 active Democrats, 19,518 active Republicans
What you need to know:
It’s been two years since Republican state Sen. Steve Chan defeated Democrat Iwen Chu in this newly drawn district that contains a plurality of Asian voters. It was a seismic win that garnered much attention, in part because Chu’s loss meant the Democrats lost a supermajority in the state Senate. Chan’s victory was seen as a microcosm of Chinese Americans’ recent shift to the right, as well as southern Brooklyn’s political evolution as a whole.
Now, he must defend his seat amid a serious challenge from Democrat Larry He, a district leader and the former chief of staff to then-Assembly Member William Colton. Despite their different political parties, observers say there’s not too much of an ideological divide between Chan and He. The latter, who is also Chinese American, describes himself as a “common-sense Democrat” committed to fighting for things like a safer community, better schools and cleaner neighborhoods.
He’s alleged ties to the Chinese government have come under scrutiny in the past, but he has denied any ties to the Chinese Communist Party. While serving as an adviser to Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign last year, The New York Times reported that He previously held senior positions at a state-owned oil company in China – a detail he’d left off his resume at the time. Chan had $350,000 in cash on hand 11 days before Election Day, with He having about $375,000 left in his campaign account. – Sahalie Donaldson
State Senate District 38
Incumbent: Bill Weber (R, C)
Challenger: Joseph Rand (D, WFP)
2024 state Senate election: Weber 52.4%, Elijah Rechlin-Melnick (D) 45.2%, Barbara Francis (WFP) 2.3%
2024 presidential election: Trump +11.1
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 49%, Hochul 46%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 88,136 active Democrats, 49,388 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Democrats are growing hopeful that voters will oust Republican Bill Weber on Election Day. With Republican momentum on his side in 2022, Weber flipped the Hudson Valley seat red, ousting then-state Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick. But in what’s expected to be a “blue wave” year, Democrats are working hard to elevate Nyack Mayor Joseph Rand. Weber’s vying to keep his seat in Albany by criticizing Hochul for congestion pricing, expensive climate initiatives and immigration protections. But his bare bones campaign website lacks specific proposals to address the cost-of-living concerns that are top of mind for voters. Rand, meanwhile, has made affordable housing a focal point of his run, and differs the most from his opponent on environmental policies and green energy projects. As of Oct. 23, Weber has just over $200,000 cash on hand, but is only slightly ahead of Rand’s roughly $165,000. – Kate Lisa
State Senate District 39
Incumbent: Rob Rolison (R, C)
Challenger: Lisa Kaul (D, WFP)
2024 state Senate election: Rolison 50.7%, Yvette Valdés Smith (D) 49.3%
2024 presidential election: Kamala Harris +4.2
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 52.4%, Hochul 47%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 80,146 active Democrats, 58,491 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Democrats have been eyeing this Hudson Valley seat ever since it was recreated in the last round of redistricting, and with national headwinds in their favor, they may finally flip it. Drawn with a more Democratic lean, Republican state Sen. Rob Rolison has still held the seat since redistricting in 2022. The popular, moderate former mayor of Poughkeepsie was well-suited for the district and has remained well-liked by constituents.
But Rolison’s reelection two years ago was tight and Democrats are once again targeting the district as a prime pickup opportunity. This year, Dutchess County Legislator Lisa Kaul won the chance to take on Rolison after a competitive Democratic primary in June. She defeated two other candidates, including the pick of the state Working Families Party – though the progressive third party has since backed her candidacy and given her its ballot line. Kaul is a seasoned elected official with both organizing and government experience – and previously unseated a popular Republican.
Roughly 11 days before Election Day, Kaul had $425,000 in the bank, giving her a significant edge over Rolison, who had $79,000 left. – Rebecca C. Lewis
State Senate District 43
Incumbent: Jake Ashby (R, C)
Challenger: Devin Lander (D, WFP)
2024 state Senate election: Ashby 54.6%, Alvin Gamble (D) 45.3%
2024 presidential election: Harris +3.1
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 52.2%, Hochul 46.9%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 72,801 active Democrats, 54,881 active Republicans
What you need to know:
State Sen. Jake Ashby has represented Rensselaer County for more than eight years, including in the Rensselaer County Legislature and Assembly before his election to the state Senate in 2022. The incumbent is airing a multitude of local TV ads this year – and more than his campaign has in recent years – because of Democrat Devin Lander. The state historian has his work cut out for him to unseat someone like Ashby, a retired U.S. Army Reserve captain who served multiple tours overseas. Lander is focusing on affordability, specifically improved access to healthcare and childcare, as well as investing in infrastructure. He’s also running on expanding public transportation, green energy and sustainable agriculture. Ashby continues to blame Democrats for high utility bills and the fiscal impact of climate mandates the party has passed in the past decade. Though Ashby has held on to the seat since redistricting, despite it slightly favoring Democrats, in a possible “blue wave” year, it’s possible for Lander to pull off an upset. But Ashby still has the advantage with about $77,000 cash on hand as of Oct. 23, which was much more than Lander’s $46,000. – Kate Lisa
State Senate District 44
Incumbent: Jim Tedisco (R, C, Vote Affordable)
Challenger: Sarah Rogerson (D, WFP)
2024 state Senate election: Tedisco 57.9%, Minita Sanghvi (D) 42.1%
2024 presidential election: Harris +7.6
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 50.3%, Hochul 48.8%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 75,795 active Democrats, 72,256 active Republicans
What you need to know:
State Sen. Jim Tedisco has been a staple of Albany for over 40 years. Before that, he was a star basketball player at Union College in Schenectady. But Tedisco might be taking his final shot. Democratic challenger Sarah Rogerson is a professor at Albany Law School with expertise in immigration law and previously served a three-year stint on the Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education. She has campaigned on better healthcare and investments in housing to lower costs, and is an advocate against gun violence. And even though polls show Democrats nationally have an edge, Tedisco has a decadeslong record to lean on, from backing the state’s first property tax cap bill, being a leading advocate for strengthening criminal penalties for animal cruelty and serving as the Assembly minority leader in the late 2000s.
But in an era when voters are craving change, the race could come down to who can convince voters they’ll tackle the rising cost of living most effectively. Even so, state Senate Democrats hope this is a seat they could flip in their efforts to restore the party’s veto-proof supermajority that they lost in 2024. Tedisco was behind Rogerson in cash on hand on Oct. 23, with $39,000 in his campaign account and his opponent had $87,000. – Kate Lisa
Assembly District 4
Incumbent: Rebecca Kassay (D)
Challenger: Will Sussman (R, C)
2024 Assembly election: Kassay 50.6%, Ed Flood (R) 49.3%
2024 presidential election: Harris +0.1
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 53.3%, Hochul 46.2%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 32,523 active Democrats, 26,670 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Former Republican Assembly Member Ed Flood’s 2022 victory over longtime former Democratic Assembly Member Steve Englebright came as a surprise to many observers at the time. The race was one of a number of Democratic losses at the state legislative and congressional levels on Long Island, as Republicans experienced a localized “red wave” that bucked national trends. So Assembly Member Rebecca Kassay’s victory two years later wasn’t a shock. Though she narrowly unseated Flood to flip the seat back, she is in a stronger position this year as the incumbent. But still, Kassay must fend off her first Republican challenger to solidify her place in the Assembly.
That challenge comes from Will Sussman, a 26-year-old activist focused on combating antisemitism. The Republican nominee had a little over $32,000 in his campaign account 11 days before Election Day. But Kassay has a strong financial advantage with over $98,000 in the bank. – Rebecca C. Lewis
Assembly District 11
Incumbent: Kwani O’Pharrow (D)
Challenger: Joseph Cardinale (R, C)
2024 Assembly election: O’Pharrow 50.8%, Cardinale 49.1%
2024 presidential election: Harris +4.7
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 50.9%, Hochul 48.5%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 37,703 active Democrats, 21,089 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Before deciding against seeking reelection in 2024, now-former Democratic Assembly Member Kimberly Jean-Pierre had one of the closest races in the state in 2022. The district was viewed as a vulnerable one for Democrats despite them having held it reliably for years. Enter Assembly Member Kwani O’Pharrow, whom Democrats chose to run for the seat when Jean-Pierre stepped aside. While the race was still close, O’Pharrow bested Republican Joseph Cardinale, a retired New York City lieutenant commander who he is facing again this year, by a better margin than his predecessor. Cardinale had $76,000 in the bank on Oct. 23, which puts the Republican in a slightly better financial position than O’Pharrow, who had a little under $55,000. – Rebecca C. Lewis
Assembly District 16
Incumbent: Daniel Norber (R), who is not seeking reelection
Candidates: Kim Keiserman (D) and David Hassid (R, C)
2024 Assembly election: Norber 50.4%, Gina Sillitti (D) 49.4%
2024 presidential election: Trump +2.1
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 51.8%, Hochul 47.7%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 37,328 active Democrats, 26,853 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Two years ago, former teacher and local organizer Kim Keiserman tried her hand at running for state Senate, losing to now-retiring state Sen. Jack Martins. But rather than go for a rematch, Keiserman shifted focus to instead run against Assembly Member Daniel Norber. But like Martins, Norber decided against seeking reelection, similarly after a state court confirmed strict outside income limits would go into effect. She now faces David Hassid, a 2025 college graduate who had a short stint working in the Assembly last year.
Norber had managed to flip the seat back in 2024, defeating former Democratic Assembly Member Gina Sillitti, making the seat red for the first time in decades. With the seat now open, the chances it remains Republican seem less likely, especially with Keiserman’s strong fundraising advantage. She had nearly $119,000 on hand 11 days before the election, while Hassid had just $9,500. – Rebecca C. Lewis
Assembly District 21
Incumbent: Judy Griffin (D)
Challenger: Irene Villacci (R, C)
2024 Assembly election: Griffin 51.8%, Brian Curran (R) 48.1%
2024 presidential election: Harris +9.8
2022 gubernatorial election: Hochul 50.1%, Zeldin 49.5%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 41,664 active Democrats, 28,798 active Republicans
What you need to know:
The past several elections for Assembly Member Judy Griffin have been tough – and many of her most recent matchups have been against the same person. She first flipped the district in 2018 to unseat former Assembly Member Brian Curran, but Curran took it back in 2022 and then she defeated him again in 2024. In a twist this year, she’s facing a fresh Republican face in attorney Irene Villacci. The absence of Curran may be good news for Griffin, who entered the home stretch of the election with over $220,000 on hand, compared to $133,000 for Villacci. – Rebecca C. Lewis
Assembly District 23
Incumbent: Stacey Pheffer Amato (D), who is not seeking reelection
Candidates: Pesach Osina (D, Community First) and Thomas Sullivan (R, C, We The People)
2024 Assembly election: Pheffer Amato 51.6%, Sullivan 48.2%
2024 presidential election: Trump +13.2
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 61.2%, Hochul 38%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 41,080 active Democrats, 17,705 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Retiring Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato came close to losing her seat – which was once held by her mother – the past two cycles. This year, the veteran legislator decided she would call it quits, backing attorney and former New York City Council candidate Pesach Osina instead. This may be a prime opportunity for Republicans to win the seat now that it’s open, with Thomas Sullivan surely hoping that the third time’s the charm. He came close to defeating Pheffer Amato in the past two elections and finally has a nonincumbent to take on. Sullivan heads into the final 11 days of the election with about $71,000, putting him behind Osina’s $127,000 campaign war chest. – Rebecca C. Lewis
Assembly District 45
Incumbent: Michael Novakhov (R, C)
Challenger: Joey Cohen-Saban (D, Fgt Antisemitism)
2024 Assembly election: Novakhov 50.1%, Cohen-Saban 49.4%
2024 presidential election: Trump +50
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 76.3%, Hochul 22.7%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 29,318 active Democrats, 16,163 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Democratic District Leader Joey Cohen-Saban wants a rematch. It’s been two years since Republican Assembly Member Michael Novakhov defeated him by a mere 270 votes. He contends that the Republican incumbent has failed to deliver results for the community, and that he has since gained valuable political experience that will help deliver him victory this time around. After his loss in 2024, Cohen-Saban became chief of staff to state Sen. Sam Sutton, who he’d helped get elected as his campaign manager.
Novakhov, a radio host who was born in Russia under Soviet Union rule, has represented the district since 2022, when he decisively defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Steven Cymbrowitz. His victory was a big deal for Republicans, flipping a seat that had been held by Democrats for decades. Looking to reflect voter sentiments in an area that’s grown increasingly red, Novakhov is staunchly opposed to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In addition to running on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines, he attempted to run on an independent ballot line: “Stop Mamdani.” Novakhov has $216,000 in cash on hand heading into the final 11 days of the election, far ahead of Cohen-Saban’s $54,000. – Sahalie Donaldson
Assembly District 46
Incumbent: Alec Brook-Krasny (R, C)
Challenger: Chris McCreight (D, WFP, Affordable & Safe)
2024 Assembly election: Brook-Krasny 51.6%, McCreight 48%
2024 presidential election: Trump +9.4
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 54.4%, Hochul 44%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 37,285 active Democrats, 18,083 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Chris McCreight, the former chief of staff to then-New York City Council Member Justin Brannan, is once again taking on Republican Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny after narrowly losing to him in 2024. McCreight is well-known to the community. In addition to representing the area as a district leader, he’s a former small-business owner currently working as a senior adviser to Council Member Kayla Santosuosso, who succeeded Brannan in the legislative body.
As the incumbent, Brook-Krasny has a natural advantage. He flipped the district red in 2022 with his defeat of Democratic incumbent Mathylde Frontus, reclaiming a seat he had previously represented as a Democrat between 2007 and 2015. Brook-Krasny previously resigned from the Legislature amid controversy. (In 2017, he was indicted for bribery in a narcotics “pill mill” scheme, though he was acquitted of some of the charges a few years later.) Still, the district has been trending more Republican. McCreight, a district leader aligned with the reformist coalition seeking to take control of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, has argued he’s capable of flipping back to blue. Brook-Krasny has $131,000 in cash on hand, as of Oct. 23, which is slightly ahead of McCreight’s $100,000. – Sahalie Donaldson
Assembly District 97
Incumbent: Aron Wieder (D)
Challengers: Rob Bonomolo (R) and Abraham Klein (C)
2024 Assembly election: Wieder 51.9%, John McGowan (R) 44.3%, Thomas F. Sullivan (C) 3.6%
2024 presidential election: Trump +27.7
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 58.6%, Hochul 39.5%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 33,719 active Democrats, 18,781 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Whoever wins this Rockland County seat will overcome the district’s political tug-of-war, with a rare third-party candidate in the mix. Incumbent Aron Wieder, a former Rockland County legislator, is keeping his focus on property tax relief, childcare vouchers and more state grants for local transportation. Republican Rob Bonomolo and Conservative Party candidate Abraham Klein are each running to oust Wieder, but could end up dooming each other by splitting the vote. Bonomolo, a local construction union president, is using his labor background to appeal to working families. Klein’s platform is lackluster, with few detailed proposals about affordability, public safety or education. Wieder still has the advantage of incumbency and has $126,000 cash on hand – far ahead of Bonomolo at $38,000. – Kate Lisa
Assembly District 107
Incumbent: Scott Bendett (R, C)
Challenger: Chloe Pierce (D, WFP)
2024 Assembly election: Bendett 52.8%, Pierce 47.1%
2024 presidential election: Harris +3.4
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 51.7%, Hochul 47.5%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 31,754 active Democrats, 27,927 active Republicans
What you need to know:
Assembly Member Scott Bendett is facing a competitive rematch of two years ago. Bendett, a business owner, has to again try to fend off Democrat Chloe Pierce – an advocate at lobbying firm Malkin & Ross. Pierce came within shouting distance of flipping the seat in 2024, even though the district has a few more Democrats than Republicans. But there’s enough unaffiliated voters to make this a swing district. Bendett wants to cut taxes, government costs and regulations while Pierce has focused on investing in local services and holding utilities accountable to lower expenses. Pierce has an impressive $149,000 cash on hand – roughly three times Bendett’s $49,000, per the Oct. 23 filing. – Kate Lisa
Assembly District 113
Incumbent: Carrie Woerner (D)
Challengers: Allen Caruso (R, C, Vote Affordable) and Thomas Kenny (WFP, No Kings)
2024 Assembly election: Woerner 54.9%, Jeremy Messina (R) 45.1%
2024 presidential election: Harris +5.6
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 50.4%, Hochul 48.8%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 33,545 active Republicans, 30,761 active Democrats
What you need to know:
A longtime incumbent like Assembly Member Carrie Woerner should be cruising to reelection in a midterm year favoring Democrats. But she is at risk of losing her bid for a seventh term.
Republican Allen Caruso blames the Democratic-controlled Legislature for the state’s expensive energy costs and taxes. Caruso owns and operates the Thorn + Root restaurant franchise and works in real estate, and has recently come under fire for reporting on his past legal troubles, including 15 lawsuits involving his business, evictions and over a dozen delinquent traffic tickets.
And an unusual third candidate, Thomas Kenny, has made the race more complicated. His hijacking of the Working Families Party ballot line sparked a legal dispute after he recently changed his enrollment from the Conservative Party to the progressive group, which disavowed his candidacy.
Woerner still has a financial advantage in the final 11 days of the election, with $69,000 cash on hand to Caruso’s $6,900. – Kate Lisa
Assembly District 119
Incumbent: Marianne Buttenschon (D), who is not seeking reelection
Candidates: Jon Lipe (D, WFP, Mohawk Valley 1st) and Michael Gentile (R, C)
2024 Assembly election: Buttenschon 50.7%, Christine Esposito (R) 49.2%
2024 presidential election: Trump +14.6
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 62.7%, Hochul 36.3%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 24,242 active Democrats, 22,456 active Republicans
What you need to know:
This open seat contest will decide who replaces Assembly Member Marianne Buttenschon, who’s leaving the office she’s held since being elected in 2018. Democrat Jon Lipe is a congressional staffer who has worked for both Republicans and Democrats, including then-Rep. Anthony Brindisi (who held this Assembly seat before Buttenschon) and Rep. John Mannion. Republican Michael Gentile is largely campaigning on changing the state's priorities, like mandates in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and prioritizing well-paying jobs and local infrastructure to ease cost-of-living concerns. Lipe has $17,000 cash on hand to Gentile’s $4,400, as of Oct. 23. – Kate Lisa
Assembly District 143
Incumbent: Patrick Chludzinski (R, C)
Challenger: Ryan Taughrin (D, WFP)
2024 Assembly election: Chludzinski 51.8%, Monica Wallace (D) 48.1%
2024 presidential election: Harris +0.9
2022 gubernatorial election: Zeldin 50%, Hochul 48.5%
Voter registration (as of Feb. 20): 36,827 active Democrats, 20,654 active Republicans
What you need to know:
This Western New York seat has been a competitive district in the past three cycles, with narrow wins by each party. Democrat Monica Wallace flipped the seat in 2016 and barely held on until Patrick Chludzinski flipped it red in 2024. Chludzinski, a U.S. Army veteran who served 25 years in local law enforcement, is hoping to keep his place in Albany by criticizing Democrats who control the Legislature for their criminal justice policies and passing ambitious climate mandates he argues have raised prices. Ryan Taughrin, an educator and union member, supports universal healthcare, childcare, more protections for renters and regulations on license plate readers. Chludzinski has about $39,000 in cash on hand in the final 11 days of the election, while Taughrin still has over $93,000. – Kate Lisa

