Devin LanderDevin Lander

The race for State Senate in the Capital Region’s 43rd district centered in Rensselaer County promises to be an interesting one. The district chose Kamala Harris by 3 points, but incumbent Republican senator Jake Ashby won reelection decisively. It is unclear how vulnerable Ashby—elected in 2022 after four years in the Assembly—is to a challenge. We hope the incumbent is vulnerable, as we see challenger Devin Lander as likely to be a significant improvement for Albany-area voters to serve in their own backyard. Senator Ashby is an unsatisfactory incumbent, antagonistic to the kinds of policy innovations that are needed to reduce housing prices, improve commutes, and reduce carbon emissions. He spoke for the Republican conference in 2023 in strongly opposing Governor Hochul’s Housing Compact. And, as an Assembly member, he voted no on the 2019 climate bill to lower the state’s emissions. Devin Lander, in contrast, will bring a compelling perspective to the chamber.

CWA District 1 endorsed