Capital Region Scene

Challenger emerges for Farley (UPDATED)

Schenectady County Democrat Madelyn Thorne has begun circulating petitions to challenge state Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Niskayuna, in the 49th Senate District this fall.

Thorne, director of pastoral care for the Schenectady County Glendale Home, has begun collecting signatures to appear on the Democratic line, according to Schenectady County Democratic Chairman Brian Quail.

"She is in it to win it," he said. "I expect a multi-county announcement tour shortly."

The 49th Senate District includes parts of Schenectady and Saratoga counties and all of Fulton County. It has been reshaped as the result of redistricting, ceding about half of Schenectady County to a new Capital Region district that stretches down to Ulster County.

In the previous version of this district in 2010, Farley handily defeated Schenectady County Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage. The voter enrollment in this district heavily favors a Republican candidate.

UPDATE (06/21/12, 12:15 p.m.):

She was chosen after a prolonged search by local Democratic officials and asked to run by Quail.

“I’m very proud and excited that I have been asked to do this,” Thorne said.

She feels her biggest strength is her role as a political outsider, because it means she can bring in new ideas.

These new ideas will be assembled as she talks to people throughout the district, which she has already begun.

She declined to comment on anything in her background that makes her a good candidate.

Follow @GazettePolitics on Twitter.

today's events