WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Jefferson County legislator Scott Gray has formally announced he’s running to replace Mark Walczyk for the 116th state Assembly district seat.
Walczyk has announced plans to replace Patty Ritchie in the Senate. She’s retiring at the end of the year.
Gray, a Republican, is former chairman of the county’s Board of Legislators and led the county’s response through much of the pandemic.
In announcing his run, Gray said, “It has been a privilege and honor to serve on the Jefferson County Board of Legislators for 20 years including six years as Finance chair and the last six years as Chairman of the Board which has brought financial stability, investment in local communities and responses to emergencies.
“I have worked tirelessly to meet the challenges and lead the responses brought on by several crises during my time in office including high water in 2017 and 2019 and then most recently COVID,” he said. “Together we made it through because we are the North Country.”
He said as the owner of a fourth-generation business owner he knows the struggles of trying to earn a living in New York and how hard it is to keep the doors open.
Gray will run as a fiscal conservative, and a moderate on most issues.
“I’m not somebody that’s gonna go down there and just pound my fist on a desk. I’m going to go down there, I will go through the issues, and I will put up – with reasoning – alternative solutions to what the problems are,” he told 7 News Tuesday.
He said the state will sometimes require local governments to spend money, while holding onto funds which are supposed to be distributed to those same governments. He also criticized the state’s controversial bail reform laws.
Democrats have a clear – and apparently permanent – majority in the Assembly, but Gray believes it would be possible to create an “upstate coalition” of legislators from both parties, who share common interests and problems.
He cited the importance of Fort Drum – “I will fight to ensure Fort Drum is here to stay and always relevant” – agriculture and tourism.
Another Republican legislator, Bobby Ferris, has expressed interest in running, but has not announced his candidacy.
Republican businesswoman Susan Duffy of Lisbon announced her candidacy Sunday.
Gray’s full statement is below.
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