In a clear victory, Democrat David Valesky won his third term as state senator in the 49th District.
“We’re not done with change, we’re not finished with reform,” said Valesky from the Democrats’ party in Liverpool on Tuesday night. He rallied the crowd of supporters that all night had excitedly watched CNN reports on the presidential campaign.
With 97 percent of the votes counted, Valesky’s unofficial tally put him ahead of Republican Jim DiStefano by 28 points. The 49th Senate District includes all of Madison County and parts of Onondaga, Oneida and Cayuga counties.
The unofficial results were 64 percent — or 67,715 votes — for Valesky to 36 percent — or 36,476 votes — for DiStefano, according to The Post-Standard.
It was largest margin of victory for Valesky in his three successful runs for the seat. In 2004, he won by a close 742-vote margin. In 2006, Valesky received 57 percent of the votes.
The win marks Valesky’s third consecutive successful campaign running on government reform. In his victory speech, he echoed that same theme. “We have a lot to do in the state capital,” Valesky said.
At the polls Tuesday, voters suggested that name recognition gave Valesky the victory edge.
At The Nottingham retirement home polling station, Valesky was a more familiar candidate for DeWitt resident David Lee. “I think he had a higher media profile. He was definitely a more recognizable face,” Lee said.
A few miles away at the Fayetteville Elementary School, resident Anne Pearson said Valesky has kept himself in voters’ minds. “He’s been very diligent about keeping voters who supported him, and all voters in the area up to date on what was going on in Albany,” said Pearson, “and I think he did a good job.”
(Ed Jacovino is a senior with dual majors in newspaper journalism and anthropology.
Democracywise reporter Torie Wells contributed to this story)
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