Senator Onorato crushes opponent

Senator George Onorato won his bid for re-election in the 12th Senate District, winning over opponent Thomas Dooley by almost 81 percent of the vote.
“[I’m] very happy that the people had enough confidence to send me back up to Albany to represent them,” Onorato said late Tuesday night, adding that he hopes those he represents will not be disappointed.
Onorato, a Democrat, has represented the district, which includes Astoria, Woodside, Long Island City and Ridgewood, for 25 years. He was a member of the Senate Minority Task Force on Legislative and Government Reform and is currently the Vice Chair of the Minority Conference.
Republican opponent Dooley is a former New York City firefighter and veteran of the Gulf War.
As Onorato saw constituents during Election Day, he said he was greeted warmly by them and received a great deal of encouragement. He said that he is thankful for the trust voters showed in him and said that he will return the favor by “giving first-class representation.”
“I think people had enough confidence in me that I was doing the job they sent me up to do,” Onorato said.
Onorato went on to say that this job is not just efforts in Albany but also those done in his district office, citing two examples of local problems as being ones related to sanitation and police.
Another major concern that constituents have been bringing to Onorato’s office frequently, he said, have been from people who have lost their jobs and are looking for assistance in finding new ones. During his next term in office, he said that addressing these job-related concerns will be one of his prime goals.
“I just want to thank my constituents for restoring me to the senate and restoring my confidence that they still want me,” Onorato said, adding that people are “looking for a change through me.”