Thirty-eight years after taking office, Republican State Senator Frank Padavan will once again fight to save his seat against two-term City Councilmember Tony Avella in a race that could determine which party will control the majority in the Senate. Currently, Democrats are clinging onto a slim 32-30 majority.
“We can’t change Albany if we don’t change who we send there, and 38 years is too long to wait,” said Avella, who has campaigned that Padavan is an anti-woman candidate. “From voting to raise his own salary to denying women the right to choose and equal protection under the law, Frank Padavan is clearly out of touch with the local community.”
Padavan, 75, hopes to continue his fight for reforms and fiscal responsibility in Albany while keeping the economy and job creation as the major campaign issues. Recently, he asked Avella to give back over $230K in political contributions from Senate President Malcolm Smith, Senator John Sampson and the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) after the release of a New York State Inspector General’s report into the Aqueduct Entertainment Group. The report outlines corruption and favoritism by Smith and Sampson surrounding the awarding of a multi-million dollar casino contract to the Aqueduct Entertainment Group. The report says they peddled and traded influence for campaign funds for the DSCC.
“The only thing for Tony Avella to do right now is to return the dirty political money he has received from Smith, John Sampson and the political arm they control, the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and to stop taking funds from here on in,” Padavan said. “It’s clear that just as long as Tony’s campaign coffers are flush with tainted campaign cash he will turn a blind eye to the corruption taking place by those who want him to walk lock-step with them. With friends like these, one has to question the judgment and character of Tony Avella. ”
Political science professor Michael Krasner of Queens College believes that Padavan will hold onto his seat this year benefitting from what he expects to be a relatively low-turnout election. In addition, he believes the Republicans will win enough seats to recapture the Senate majority.
“I expect the Democrats to lose, and I think that’s because of the absolutely dismal performance when they had power,” Krasner said.
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