Kimberly Davis (Photo provided)

PLATTSBURGH — Clinton County Treasurer Kimberly Davis has secured endorsements from all six of the 45th State Senate District’s county Democratic committees.

“I am ecstatic to receive the official endorsement to be the Democratic candidate to represent the North Country in the 45th District,” Davis said in a statement.

She entered the race for the seat, currently held by State Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury), in late May last year.

The district comprises all of Clinton, Essex, Franklin and Warren counties as well as parts of St. Lawrence and Washington counties.

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“For everyone”

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Davis said she has been meeting with the committees as well as individual voters and voter groups throughout her candidacy.

“I have expressed my interest in being a public servant for everyone in the district, regardless of their party affiliation.”

Davis told the Press-Republican that the Working Families Party interviewed her Sunday, and she will be seeking union endorsements, asserting that all workers benefit from union negotiations.

Franklin County Democratic Party Chair Kathy Fleury said Davis will represent the district and its values well.

Fleury’s Essex County counterpart, Maggie Bartley, described the treasurer as a proven leader in both politics and the community, and noted that she has served as a Kiwanian for 20 years at local, state and national levels.

“She is recognized as a passionate and compassionate advocate.”

Clinton County Democratic Party Chair Jerry Marking said Davis works incredibly hard, listens to all sides of an argument and does what is right.

“She is the rare politician that can bring people together. She says what she means and means what she says. I know that she will make us all proud!”

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Stec “humbled”

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Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, announced his candidacy for Little’s seat this past December after she shared her plans to step down at the end of this year.

So far, the Clinton, Warren and Essex County Republican committees as well as the St. Lawrence County Conservative Party have endorsed him.

“I will also be seeking the endorsements from all the Republican county committees as well as other organized county Conservative parties in the district, the State Conservative Party and State Independence Party,” Stec told the Press-Republican.

He hopes to receive support from the groups that have endorsed his Assembly runs as well.

“I am humbled by the tremendous support I have received from across the entire Senate district,” Stec said.

State GOP North Country Regional Vice Chair and Essex County Republican Committee Chair John Gereau said in a statement that his county’s Republicans have been thrilled with Stec’s representation in the Assembly.

“His hard work, responsiveness and ability to get results are a few of the reasons the Republican Committee unanimous endorsed his candidacy for Senate (Wednesday night).”

The Clinton County Republican Committee was impressed with Stec’s passion and knowledge of North Country issues, Chair Clark Currier said.

“We’ve observed his service as a nearby assemblyman for years. He has served with distinction in the Assembly and we know he will do the same in the Senate.”

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Need signatures

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Endorsements this early in the year are prompted by a shift in the state’s primary schedule, which went into effect in 2019.

That is when the state and local primaries were moved from September to June, so they would fall on the same date as federal primaries, Clinton County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Mary Dyer said.

She explained that, even though Davis has secured the county committees’ endorsements, she still needs to seek and file signatures from Democrats registered in the 45th Senate District.

According to the State Board of Elections website, candidates for State Senate require 1,000 signatures.

“Anybody else that wanted to challenge her would have to do the same thing, go out and get signatures, but you can’t get the same ones,” Dyer said.

Candidates can begin collecting signatures Feb. 25 and must file them between March 30 and April 2.