Amedore, Blanchfield in tough Assembly fight

105TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT — For the candidates and public, the current race in the 105th Assembly District is proving to be just as bruising as it was 15 months ago.

This time around, Republican George Amedore Jr. is seeking a full two-year term, challenged by Democrat Mark Blanchfield. Amedore is running on his record and on the promise of fighting against entrenched special interests in Albany. He won the seat in a special election in July 2007, and filled the remaining year of former assemblyman Paul Tonko’s term.

Tonko resigned to head the New York state Energy Research and Development Authority; he is now running for Congress.

Blanchfield, an attorney and Schenectady city councilman, promises to bring an analytical approach to solving problems in Albany and will make connections that will benefit the district.

Similar to last year’s campaign, this contest has seen claims of mud-slinging, attacks on character and distortions of voting records. In a new twist, each candidate has filed complaints with Fair Campaign Practices of the Capital Region. Amedore and Blanchfield each signed Fair Campaign pledges.

Also like last year’s campaign, both candidates are receiving assistance from the Republican and the Democratic state campaign committees, even though they say they are running grass-roots efforts.

Amedore’s campaign manager is an employee of the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee, and Amedore is receiving help from Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady. In addition, the state committee is paying for Amedore’s mailings.

Amedore raised $120,890 as of Oct. 3. Of this amount, $61,600 came from corporations, most representing the building industry. Amedore is vice president of Amedore Homes.

Amedore raised $14,325 from political action committees and has the support of small business associations.

In Blanchfield’s case, the Democrat Assembly Campaign Committee gave his committee $95,000 in October, which went toward campaign literature and media advertisements.

Blanchfield raised $42,472 as of Oct. 3. Of this amount, $8,949 is from political action committees and $4,560 from corporations. He loaned his campaign $12,000. The $95,000 from the campaign committee is in addition to the $42,472.

Blanchfield has the support of several labor unions, including New York State United Teachers.

Democrats believe Amedore is vulnerable and Republicans are just as determined to retain the coveted Assembly seat, which was in Democrats’ hands for 25 years until last July. Tedisco recruited Amedore for the seat last year and was his prominent supporter and mentor. Tedisco himself is running unopposed in the 110th Assembly District.

Amedore said he has business support because “a lot of businesses are hurting from high energy costs, over regulation and unaffordable health insurance. They see I understand their hurt and that I feel their pain.”

During his time in the Legislature, where he “fought for the people,” Amedore sponsored 17 bills and had his name of many other pieces of legislation. “To get those passed, I had to work with the majority leader and the committee chairs,” he said.

His campaign platform is to: reduce taxes by capping school tax growth to the rate of inflation or 4 percent; reduce energy costs by investing in alternative fuels; make health care affordable by reviewing state mandates on businesses and by opening up the borders of New York to competition; invest in education; and reduce the cost of government by eliminating fraud, consolidating services and more.

“People don’t want a rebate check, they want their taxes lowered,” Amedore said.

When he decided to seek re-election this year, Amedore said, he consulted with his wife of 18 years, Joelle. “I asked her if my running was a burden, a problem, if it was hampering our relationship. She asked me to think of all the organizations and people I helped and to think of the accomplishments to come,” he said.

Said Amedore, “We will continue to serve the people. It is not just me doing this. My wife is alongside me.”

Blanchfield said he would be more effective in Albany than Amedore. “It really comes down to getting things passed to benefit your district,” he said.

“I am not asking people to vote for me because I am a Democrat. You have to be in a position as a legislator to move issues forward and to get the help the district needs,” Blanchfield said.

Blanchfield said if elected, he would work to increase state aid to the cities of Schenectady and Amsterdam; help develop incentives to assist the district’s agriculture industry; and seek additional highway aid for suburban towns.

“The areas that need help aren’t getting it,” Blanchfield said. “I’m an issued-oriented person who tries to solve problems. I look at the issues and study the consequences.”

Blanchfield said Amedore has not made the connections to help the district and that he has not been optimal while in office. “We are going into difficult times and I don’t think the message that government should leave you alone is a good message,” he said. “It is easy to say we should have a laissez-faire attitude, but that puts us at a disadvantage if others are positioning themselves to move forward economically.”

The 105th Assembly District consists of Montgomery County, the towns of Duanesburg, Princetown and Rotterdam in Schenectady County and the southern portions of the city of Schenectady.