Cohoes mayor seeking Assembly seat | News

COHOES - In the same senior center where he first announced for Cohoes Mayor 13 years before, John McDonald Friday became a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the Assembly district that runs along both sides of the Hudson from Waterford to Albany and Rensselaer.

"Experience matters, especially when compared to the others that are considering this opportunity," McDonald said.

Because of enrollment numbers, whoever wins the June Democratic primary will be a heavy favorite in the November general election.
 

Two progressive Democrats in the city of Albany are also seeking committee support: Council President Carolyn McLaughlin "representing people that may have historically felt that they were not represented, be those people from low income communities, be they women."

and councilman Dominick Calsolaro "I think I have a reputation for being a person that doesn't give up, that fights for his constituents."

Also in the race is former Albany mayoral candidate Marlon Anderson.

"I think that they need to pursue the avenue of somebody of color, somebody, perhaps, even a woman," Anderson said.

Back to Mayor McDonald, who is a pharmacy owner.

His family business in Cohoes is accused by the Medicaid Inspector General of taking more than 1.4 million dollars in medicaid over payments in a five year period. He disputes that.

"They're wrong in this situation and we're exercising our rights in a public venue," McDonald said. "We filed in Supreme Court and we're hoping to find a resolve to this some day."

The support of the Albany County Democratic Committee will assist the chosen candidate in gathering at least 500 valid signatures to qualify to the election ballot.

However, other candidates can still gather petition signatures on their own and quality for the June primary ballot.