By Luca Gross and Carly Newton
Press Republican
Michael Cashman will resign as Plattsburgh Town Supervisor and assume the 115th State Assembly District seat after a close victory in the special election Tuesday night.
Members of the Democratic Party and candidate supporters celebrated the results Tuesday night at the American Legion Post 20 on Quarry Road in Plattsburgh. Energy was high, spirits were flowing and applause rang out after each count update.
Cashman led Republican candidate Brent Davison, a retired New York State Trooper, 19,435 votes to 17,821, according to the New York State Board of Elections website’s tracker.
“I’m glad that he (Davison) got in the race and, you know, provided the public an opportunity for choice.I think that’s a healthy democracy,” he said.
During his speech, Cashman reflected on his first campaign memory as a child.
He told his grandfather he wanted to run for student council, who handmade campaign signs with pennies and nickels glued to them with slogans such as “Vote Cashman, the name that makes sense,” “Vote Cashman for change,” Vote Cashman, the name you can count on.”
While he lost that election, due in part to other students tearing his signs down for the money, his grandfather and the experience taught him a lesson he still holds close.
“It’s easy to tear things down — signs, ideas and even people,” Cashman said. “Anyone can destroy, but it takes strength to build, to believe and stay kind.”
He expressed gratitude for the support of Billy Jones and Janet Duprey, both of whom held the seat before him. With a tear in his eye, he also thanked his wife, Olivia, for her sacrifices and unwavering support, stepping away from the podium briefly to hand her a bouquet of roses.
Cashman prepares to take over for Jones, who resigned earlier this year with on year left in his term, and anticipates Chuck Kostyk, Plattsburgh deputy supervisor, will assume Cashman’s current role of supervisor.
“I will resign my position as the timetable kind of unfolds over the course of the next several days … then the board will need to finalize an appointment,” he said.
He emphasized the role is not about any one party in particular, but about the people he’s been elected to represent in Albany. Listening and learning from the people, as well as working toward affordability and safety, are his top priorities.
“We’re gonna work on protecting our future and planning for our future,” he said.
‘NEVER GIVE UP HOPE’
As results came in a little before midnight, Davison took to the podium to address his supporters in a more solemn atmosphere at the American Legion Post 1619 in Morrisonville.
“The election results are completely tallied. It looks like we came up a little short. The voters have spoken,” Davison said to a quiet room.
“I want to thank everybody who supported me throughout this campaign — my wife and family, the county chairs that endorsed me, all the voters that voted for me, the people that knocked on doors, that went to events. I had an incredible amount of support and I want to thank everybody for supporting me.
In his speech, he wished Cashman congratulations and the district luck.
“Hopefully things will move forward in a positive manner,” he said. “The people in the district said they were looking for change, so I still think they’re looking for some kind of change.”
Davison said he didn’t know what more his campaign could have done to win, but he wouldn’t have done anything different.
“We worked our tails off for a couple months here and did everything that we could, knocked on as many doors as we could, attended all the events. I think we did everything we could,” he said, pointing out his endorsements from high-ranking Republicans in the state.
With the 115th Assembly District seat up for re-election next year, Davison said he has not made any decision on whether he plans to run again. He said he does not have a timeline on when he’ll make that decision.
“I definitely had several people voicing their displeasure with the shutdown as I was knocking on doors,” he said, although he was unsure if the federal shutdown had anything to do with the results.
To his supporters, Davison said to “always keep hope alive.”
“You never give up on hope. I think things, hopefully, will turn around,” he said.
“Hopefully, some of the laws that have been passed, people in Albany will realize are not practical. That they don’t make sense. That they don’t work, like the bail reform, the HALT Act, the electric mandates — none of that stuff is working up here,” Davison said. “Apparently, it just wasn’t enough to get us over the hump, so we’ll see. But you never give up hope.”
Asked what’s next for him, he said he plans to go on vacation.
“We’re going to try to enjoy that. Get some good sleep in, get a couple days off here and move forward.”
