SHERBURNE, N.Y. — New York State Sen. James Seward [R–51st SD] will face a Democratic challenger in the 2016 election.
Jermaine Bagnall-Graham has officially filed petition signatures to appear on the Democratic and Women’s Equality Party Lines for the 51st State Senate District, which includes Cortland County, his campaign announced today.
Jermaine Bagnall-Graham
Bagnall-Graham is an Army veteran who lives in Sherburne, N.Y. He works as a clinical systems analyst for Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown, N.Y.
“Now that our petition signatures have been filed, we’re one step closer to restoring integrity to the 51st State Senate District,” Bagnall-Graham said in a press release this morning. “Voters across the 9 counties that encompass this district deserve a State Senator who represents their interests, not Albany special interests, and I can’t wait to make that case directly to the voters throughout this campaign.”
Bagnall-Graham has accused Sen. Seward of delivering “watered-down” legislation following the passage of an ethics reform bill in June.
“Perhaps Sen. Seward failed to deliver real ethics reform because he himself accepts outside income and raises campaign money at astronomical levels from the industry he is tasked with regulating,” Bagnall-Graham said.
Bagnall-Graham has received an endorsement from Deputy Dryden Town Supervisor and former congressional candidate Dan Lamb.
The 51st state senate district also includes all of Otsego and Schoharie counties and portions of Tompkins, Cayuga, Chenango, Delaware, Ulster and Herkimer counties. Seward has held the seat since 1987.
