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David J. Valesky (b. circa 1966) is an American politician who is a former member of the New York State Senate. A Democrat, Valesky represented the 53rd Senate District and the 49th Senate District in upstate New York. He served in the State Senate from 2005 to 2019.

Education and early career

Valesky holds a B.A. in mathematics from the State University of New York at Potsdam and an M.A. in political science from the University of Connecticut.

He served as aide to former New York State Assembly Majority Leader Michael Bragman from 1989 to 1995. From 1995 to 2004, he served as vice president of communications at Syracuse's public television and radio station WCNY-TV/WCNY-FM and hosted Hour CNY, a local public affairs program. He resigned from WCNY to pursue the 49th District Senate seat.

Political career

Valesky took office as a state senator in January 2005.^[1]

In 2011, Valesky joined with Jeffrey D. Klein, Diane Savino, and David Carlucci to form the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC).^[2] Since then, Marisol Alcantara, Tony Avella, Jesse Hamilton, and Jose Peralta also joined the IDC. On April 16, 2018, the IDC was dissolved and Valesky returned to the Senate Democratic Conference.^[3][4]

Campaigns

2004

Valesky defeated longtime incumbent Nancy Larraine Hoffmann (R-Fabius) in a hotly contested, closely watched race. It was one of a handful of bellwether contests (since few State Senate districts typically have competitive races due to gerrymandering or entrenched incumbents) in a year when the Brennan Center for Justice of New York University had released a highly publicized report labeling New York's government as "dysfunctional."^{[citation needed]}

A divisive Republican primary between Hoffmann and her more conservative challenger, Thomas V. Dadey, Jr., weakened her base of support, resulting in a three-way race after Dadey received the Conservative Party and Independence Party ballot lines. This helped to attract donor interest in Valesky. Hoffmann won the Republican primary with 9,768 votes to Dadey's 7,982 votes, a margin of 55.03% to 44.97%.^{[citation needed]}

Hoffmann was seen as out of touch both with the conservative wing of her local party and also with voter anger at the Legislature—a sentiment that Valesky's campaign skillfully capitalized on with a series of TV ads, while he ran on a platform stressing legislative reform.^{[citation needed]}

Rural areas of the 49th District went heavily for Hoffmann, while Valesky (running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines) received strong support mainly from urban Syracuse and its surrounding suburbs. Valesky achieved a 1,060-vote majority on election night, but this lead narrowed to 742 votes as paper and absentee ballots were counted. However, he did not lose the lead, and Hoffmann conceded two weeks later. Valesky received 53,050 votes (50,279 Democratic Party and 2,771 Working Families Party), Hoffmann received 52,308 votes (Republican Party), and Dadey received 13,234 votes (7,820 Independence Party and 5,414 Conservative Party), a margin of 44.73% to 44.11% to 11.16%.^{[citation needed]}

Later campaigns

Valesky was re-elected to the state Senate in November 2006, defeating Assemblyman Jeffrey Brown, the Republican candidate. Although Brown received significantly more funding, outspending Valesky nearly 2 to 1, and also was the son of a long-time Assemblyman in the Syracuse suburbs, Valesky prevailed with 53,555 votes (50,075 Democratic Party and 3,480 Working Families Party) over Brown's 36,875 votes (30,502 Republican Party, 3,717 Conservative Party, and 2,656 Independence Party), a margin of 59.22% to 40.78%.^{[citation needed]}

Valesky was re-elected in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2018 Democratic primary, Valesky was defeated by Rachel May, Coordinator of Sustainability Education at Syracuse University.^[5] Valesky received 46.66% of the primary vote to May's 50.47%.^[6]

Personal life

Valesky resides in Oneida, where he was born and raised. He is Roman Catholic and attends St. Patrick's Parish Church.^[7]

See also

• 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis

References

External links

• New York State Senate: David J. Valesky


• David J. Valesky's Official Webpage


• Legislation sponsored by Senator Valesky