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Evelyn Wood launches Assembly campaign

Evelyn Wood announces her Assembly candidacy Wednesday at the Lizzie Keays Restaurant in Warrensburg. (provided photo — Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli, The Post-Star)

WARRENSBURG — Former Thurman Supervisor Evelyn Wood announced on Wednesday that she will be running for a state assembly seat under the SAM party line.

“I’m going to run for the 114th District,” Wood told a group of about 25 at the Lizzie Keays Restaurant in Warrensburg. “You guys know I have been a long time Republican … Today I went to the Board of Elections and I left the Republican Party and joined the SAM Party (Serve America Movement).”

Wood explained that the SAM party is small and growing and while she had planned to run as a Republican, when she learned about the SAM Party, she “fell in love with it. “

She shared with those attending her kickoff event that the SAM Party has an interesting outlook on what elected officials should be doing.

“They emphasize results over rhetoric,” she said. “They want to see what you are getting done as an elected official. And I feel that is something that is really missing today in our entire political process. What’s happening now is that the people are not being heard. We have this big disconnect … and the one thing we don’t hear about anymore is the people we are supposed to be representing.”

Wood, as a third party candidate, is running for the seat being vacated by Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury. Stec is running for state Senate.

While she understands running as a third party candidate is a tough climb, she said she’s ready to knock on doors and find out what the voters in the district want.

“I decided I could get out and make a difference,” she said. “We need to restore common sense and good solid practical solutions to our government. We need to actually help our people and I want to get back into serving the people. And that is the central focus of my campaign.”

According to Wood, some of the biggest issues facing the district are related to infrastructure, bridges, roads, high speed internet and cell service.

“Infrastructure is near and dear to my heart,” she said. “Not just roads and bridges, cell service, the electric that keeps going out, these things are the cornerstones and very foundation of our communities.”

Wood compared it to a house, “if you don’t have a good foundation, your house isn’t strong.”

“We need to go back to focusing on building strong communities so that they can thrive,” Wood said. “So many people say we should bring in jobs to the area and we need to do this, but they don’t get anything done. We’ve got to start small and start with the basics … if we don’t start addressing those very basic things our communities can’t grow.”

Horicon Supervisor Matt Simpson and Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Doug Beaty are running on the GOP line and Glens Falls 3rd Ward Supervisor Claudia Braymer is running on the Democratic line.

Simpson was endorsed by the Warren County Republican Committee earlier this month.

Wood said that she looks forward to getting out into the communities and talking to people.

“I have my ideas of what I think we should be doing,” she said. “The people know what they need and if you listen to them, they will tell you. And then you can be more focused on delivering something that actually has a value to them.”

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