WHITE PLAINS, NY — Andrea Stewart Cousins, the NYS Senate’s Democratic Conference Leader and local State Senator, has officially kicked off her re-election campaign. Senator Stewart-Cousins has served Westchester families in the State Senate since 2006 and represents communities in Greenburgh, part of White Plains, part of New Rochelle, part of Yonkers and Scarsdale. The Democratic Primary Election will take place on Thursday, September 13 and the General Election will take place on Tuesday, November 6.
As our local State Senator and as Senate Democratic Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins has made standing up to Trump and his supporters in Washington and New York State a top priority. She has led the resistance to President Trump’s policies and advanced measures to protect women’s rights, expand firearm safety, increase voting rights and reforms, pass environmental protections, and fight back against the disastrous Trump/GOP tax plan.
“It has been my honor to serve Westchester families as their State Senator, and I have worked hard to represent our communities and values in Albany,” Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “With Trump in the White House and our protections under attack, I have worked tirelessly to invest in our public schools, advance sensible gun laws, stand up for women’s rights and health care, and ensure our vulnerable communities are protected. I will keep up the fight in our State Senate, and with the support of my constituents and Senate Democratic colleagues, I know we will make history next year.”
In 2012, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins was elected by her Democratic colleagues to serve as the Leader of the Senate Democratic Conference, the first woman in the history of New York to hold a legislative leadership position. With a blue wave sweeping the nation and the Senate Republican Majority holding a razor thin 32-31 margin in the 63-member Chamber, State Senate Democrats are in an excellent position to win a strong and functional Majority this November. When that happens, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins will become the first woman in New York State history to lead a Legislative Chamber, negotiate the State Budget, and determine what legislation is able to advance to the Senate Floor. This historic accomplishment would also mean that the 35th Senate District would be represented by the most powerful Senator in New York.
Some of the Senator’s notable legislative accomplishments include:
· Delivering record increases in State funding for public schools throughout our community
· Cutting middle class income taxes to the lowest levels in over sixty years.
· Creating thousands of jobs in Westchester through the Regional Economic Development Councils.
· Passing the toughest gun safety laws in the nation by providing the critical votes for the NY SAFE Act
· Bringing the voices of women to the table on issues like pay equity, sexual harassment and reproductive choice
· Leading the fight to raise the minimum wage in New York State to $15/hr
· Combating climate change by supporting the state’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
· Fighting for tough ethics reforms like prohibiting outside income for legislators and stripping corrupt elected officials of their pensions.
· Strengthening democracy by passing progressive voting laws and calling for campaign finance reform
· Ensuring access to quality affordable health care for all New Yorkers
· Raising the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 and fighting for other reforms in the criminal justice system