Assemblymember Ann Margaret Carrozza is running for re-election in the 26th Assembly District. First elected in 1996, Carrozza has primarily sponsored legislation that focus on health and senior citizen's issues. Carrozza has also been endorsed by the Working Families Party.
Carrozza faces Republican candidate Robert Speranza in this election. Speranza is a retired police officer who was one of the responders on Sept. 11, 2001. He is currently a member of Queens Community Board 11, representing Bayside.
Carrozza has little in the way of campaign funds, having collected about $150 in contributions and showing a campaign balance of $3,555 at the beginning of October. Speranza filed a "no activity statement."
Assemblymember Lou Tobacco is up for re-election this November for the Assembly seat he has held for just a year and a half. Tobacco was first elected to the Assembly from this district at the southern end of Staten Island in a March 2007 special election to replace resigning Assemblymember Vincent Ignizio, who decided to move over to the City Council.
Before running for office himself, Tobacco served as a summer intern for then Borough President Guy Molinari while he was Borough President and then interned for Molinari again when Molinari was elected to the U.S. House.
At the end of September, Tobacco's campaign had $44,902 with recent contributions of $6,190. Albanese had received $3,627 and had $3,429 on hand.
Tobacco also has also been endorsed by the Conservative and Independence parties.
In his first regular election, Tobacco faces Democratic candidate Albert J. Albanese. Albanese is active in the Democratic Party in Staten Island, though little other information is available about him.
Tobacco disclosed having $45,000 currently in campaign funds. Albanese currently has $3,000.
Longtime incumbent State Sen. George Onorato will face Republican challenger Thomas Dooley, who will also appear on the Conservative and Independence party line.
Onorato has been in the State Senate since 1983 and serves as vice chair of the Minority Conference. His latest campaign finance filings show he has $216,017. In the last filing period, Onorato spent $95,337, the majority of which went to two Democratic fundraisers.
Campaign finance information was not available for Dooley. Dooley is a retired city firefighter and former U.S. Marine. At a recent forum, he criticized the development sweeping through the neighborhood.
The district includes Astoria and parts of Sunnyside and Long Island City.