Tedisco handily defeats Democratic challenger

PHOTOGRAPHER: David Lombardo

In his pursuit of a 15th term as the representative for New York’s 110th Assembly District, Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville, easily defeated Democratic challenger BK Keramati.

With over 90 percent of the vote reported in Schenectady County, Tedisco led Keramati by 5,000 votes and had 63 percent of the vote. With 60 percent of the vote reported in Saratoga County, Tedisco also had a 5,000 vote lead and over 60 percent of the vote.

Tedisco said the victory was a product of his positive campaigning and a record that voters approved of, citing his large margin of victory as evidence of his success. He promised that property tax reform, redistricting and reducing the size of government would be key priorities in the next session.

Tedisco said that he foresaw the Republicans taking at least 51 seats in the Assembly and reclaiming the majority in the state Senate.

Earlier in the day, Tedisco spent time doing some last-minute campaigning and thanking volunteers for their hard work on the campaign. This was in sharp contrast to Keramati, who announced early in the afternoon that he wasn’t doing anything and called Tedisco to concede the election around 11 p.m.

Even with the outcome likely in Tedisco’s favor in the afternoon, he remained cautiously optimistic throughout the day, according to a campaign spokesman. To ensure victory, his campaign orchestrated sign waves by exit 13 and exit 14 on I-87.

In the evening, though, Tedisco celebrated at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Schenectady and then moved on to the Holiday Inn in Saratoga Springs.