O’Connor, Tague rematch for 102nd Assembly District in November

The seat in the 102nd Assembly District, which represents Ravena and Coeymans, is up for grabs next month.

Greene County Legislator Aidan O’Connor, D-Durham, will face off again with Republican incumbent Chris Tague, from Schoharie, for the 102nd Assembly District on Nov. 6. The two faced off previously in an April 24 special election for the traditionally Republican-held Assembly seat, with Tague winning the seat by a small margin, 9,156 to 8,997.

O’Connor is running on the Democratic, Working Families and Women’s Equality lines, and Tague is running on the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Reform party lines.

The 102nd Assembly District consists of parts of Albany County, including both Ravena and Coeymans, all of Greene County, parts of Ulster County, all of Schoharie County and parts of Delaware and Otsego counties.

Age: 30

Occupation: Paramedic for Greenport Rescue, Paramedic Lab Instructor for SUNY Cobleskill and Regional Business Development Manager for LifeNet of NY Air medical service. O’Connor has also served three years on the Greene County Legislature, now acting as Minority Leader for the Legislature, as representative for Durham.

Education: SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Program

O’Connor is a fourth generation Greene County native.

“We haven’t had a representative in the majority for this district in over 30 years,” O’Connor said. “If I’m elected, my constituents will finally have a representative that can make good on promises to bring back tax dollars to our district where it’s desperately needed: to repair our roads and bridges, fund our public schools, and finally get broadband and cell service to this area, without raising local taxes. I come from a family of public servants, whom have dedicated our lives to serving our neighbors. I’ve seen people in the most difficult moments of their lives and I know that results matter — we’re not getting results from Albany, it’s time to change that.”

Age:49

Occupation: Since Tague was elected in April he has served at a full-time assemblyman for the district. He previously worked for Cobleskill Stone Products, a position he quit when he decided to run in the special election. Tague also served as Schoharie town supervisor from 2015 to 2018.

Tague was born and raised in Schoharie, graduated from Schoharie Central Schools and was a student of the Schoharie BOCES program.

Family: Fiancé Dana Buzon, 41; daughter Sierra, 21; son, Drew, 20.

“I’m running for re-election this November because my work on your behalf has just begun,” Tague said. “We have rampant taxes and regulations, a state government that is overrun with corruption and ethical violations, and a legislature that ignores the impact it has on our tax payer’s day to day lives. I am the number one voice for small business in the state and I will stand resolute against anything that would harm our hardworking business people.”

The New York State Business Council, Inc., released its scorecards for state Legislators based on actions on what it considers business friendly policy. This year the council gave Tague, a freshman Assemblyman, a perfect score.

“Since the special election this past April I have gotten down to the business of fixing Albany and lowering our taxes,” Tague said. “In my first six weeks, I co-sponsored the most comprehensive ethics reform bill in the country, the Public Officers Accountability Act, to start restoring a state of ethics and morality to Albany. No one is going to work harder, listen more, and get more done than me, that is a promise.”