Albany, NY – In response to the primary wins of progressive candidates in the Capital Region, Omar Sterling McGill for Schenectady County Legislature (District 1), Gabriella Romero in the highly contested race for Albany Common Council (Ward 6), and Kiani Conley-Wilson’s win for Troy City Council (District 5) Citizen Action President Ivette Alfonso, released the following statement:
“The Capital Region has been rocked over the past year by issues that have continued to overwhelm community members, from police violence to housing and food insecurity. The pandemic really brought into focus the gaping inequalities which divide the region. That is why we need to elect progressive candidates who will not govern as usual but fight for racial justice at all levels. As absentee ballots are counted, we hope Working Families Party candidate Gwen Wright for Rensselaer County Executive pulls in enough votes to win the primary, and help bring back the WFP line to its progressive base.
“We’re glad that Alfredo Balarin, the sponsor of Albany’s Good Cause eviction bill, will remain on the council to see the bill through. We know that Gabriella Romero will fight for affordable and dignified housing in Albany, and we can’t wait to see what she gets done. As we work to build a Capital Region that works for everyday people, we have faith that our endorsed councilmembers, and leaders like food justice warrior Kiani Conley-Wilson in Troy and Omar Sterling McGil in Schenectady, collectively, will be a strong voice for our communities.”