General Election
Open seat pits retiring Democrat's chosen successor against her two-time Republican challenger
Stacey Pheffer Amato, who has held the seat since 2017, did not run again and endorsed Pesach Osina, who won the June Democratic primary. Thomas P. Sullivan lost to her by 15 votes in 2022 and with 48.2% of the vote in 2024; the district voted Republican by 13.4 points in the 2024 presidential race.
Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary for Assembly District 23 over Mike Scala with 60.6% of the vote
Public safety — Supports giving judges authority to weigh whether a defendant is dangerous, including criminal history and repeated arrests, when deciding bail, and lowering the state's felony retail-theft threshold with tougher penalties for repeat offenders and organized theft rings. Wants full NYPD funding and staffing.
Stacey Pheffer Amato +36
Advanced unopposed when the June 23, 2026 Republican primary for Assembly District 23 was canceled
Public safety — Wants to restore qualified immunity for police officers and add 1,800 officers to the district's police force, saying fewer police means more crime and that qualified immunity keeps false accusations from costing officers their jobs and pensions. Blames no cash bail and the end of qualified immunity for harm to communities.
Bruce Blakeman +7
▸ Your ballot — State Assembly Member - District 23
Fill in one oval. Change it anytime.
Public safety, bail and policing
The Legislature writes New York's bail law, including what judges may consider when setting bail, criminal penalties such as those for retail theft, and the legal protections police officers have, such as qualified immunity; changing them also takes the Senate and the governor.
Supports giving judges authority to weigh whether a defendant is dangerous, including criminal history and repeated arrests, when deciding bail, and lowering the state's felony retail-theft threshold with tougher penalties for repeat offenders and organized theft rings. Wants full NYPD funding and staffing.
Pesach Osina campaign — Public SafetyCost of living and taxes
State law sets income tax rates and credits such as the Empire State Child Tax Credit, and how closely state regulators review insurance and utility rate increases, so the Legislature shapes how much of these costs district households pay and whether relief comes through tax cuts, credits or tighter rate review.
Wants insurers to fully justify rate increases and supports a prior-approval rule so they cannot raise rates without state sign-off, plus a crackdown on no-fault insurance fraud. Supports expanding the Empire State Child Tax Credit and childcare tax credits, raising income limits for middle-class tax relief, and opposes new taxes that he says make it harder to live and work in New York.
Pesach Osina campaign — AffordabilityEnergy costs and climate rules
Utility bills and the state's clean-energy rules come up in this race as part of the cost-of-living debate.
Supports developing renewable energy affordably and expanding nuclear power. Opposes the state climate law's mandates, which he calls aggressive and says impose unnecessary costs on ratepayers, and opposes gas stove bans and carbon taxes.
VOTE411 (League of Women Voters) — Thomas Sullivan's candidate answersCycle-to-date · NYS Board of Elections — figures change as new reports are filed.
Researched & verified Sep 29, 2026. Compiled from verified public sources; claims that failed verification are excluded.
How to read our research & coverage
