ENDICOTT — Vowing that he and fellow Republicans would “fix” New York, Lansing resident Mike Sigler declared his candidacy Wednesday for the state Senate seat representing Cortland, Tioga and much of Broome County.
Sigler, a former Elmira television reporter and producer who has served for 14 years in the Tompkins County Legislature, will challenge incumbent Sen. Lea Webb, a Democrat and former city council member from Binghamton.
Webb announced her re-election campaign Saturday at a campaign event in Ithaca.
Sigler, who announced his campaign in front of nearly 100 people at the Sons of Italy hall in Endicott, was joined by wife Sarah, his two daughters and two step-daughters.
He cited New York’s loss, based on the 2020 Census, of nearly 500,000 people.
“That’s almost a whole Congressman,” he said, adding he would promote a policy that increases growth.
Handouts left at tables inside the Sons of Italy hall billed Sigler as representing the “mainstream,” and said he is “not extreme.”
“Despite it being clear that things are headed in the wrong direction, politicians in Albany like Lea Webb aren’t doing enough to fix it. In fact, they keep pushing extreme policies like bail reform, sanctuary cities and defunding the police,” Sigler said in his announcement. “As your next Senator, I’ll focus on fighting inflation, reducing crime, making smart investments for our energy future, effectively managing the migrant crisis and improving education for our kids.”
However, Webb said at her event Saturday her effort is to balance other issues. She sits on the agriculture, higher education, health and mental health committees.
“We’re actively trying to address years, many years of underinvestment and key issues whether its housing, healthcare, childcare, workers’ rights, small business development,” Webb told reporters. “All of these areas we’ve been as a state inconsistent.”
Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar, Webb’s predecessor as state senator, introduced Sigler, saying the 52nd Senate District, “deserves someone who will fight” for the district’s people.
“Our representative is absent,” he said. “But to effectively represent a people, you must be present.”
The two-year post pays $142,000 a year.
