Major Brent Davison poses at the Troop B headquarters in Ray Brook. Davison took command of Troop B in 2023. (Enterprise photo — Sydney Emerson)

PLATTSBURGH — As Brent Davison embarks on his bid for the 115th Assembly District seat in the upcoming special election, he now does so with the support of several high-ranking state Republican leaders.

Assembly Republican Minority Leader Will Barclay, R, C-Pulaski, made the four-hour trip from Oswego County to Plattsburgh Wednesday just to make his endorsement of Davison for the seat known.

“Brent Davison is the voice North Country families and businesses need in the state Assembly. He was born and raised here and has dedicated his life to serving the people of this community. Like so many across New York, Brent understands that our only path to prosperity is to dramatically change the status quo in Albany,” Barclay said. “The liberal, New York City agenda doesn’t work here. Which is why the residents of Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties need Brent Davison fighting for North Country interests, communities, and values.”

Davison, a retired New York State Police major and former Troop B commander from Mooers Forks, was recently chosen by the Republican committee chairs of Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties to be their candidate in the special election for the assembly seat on Nov. 4.

Davison, also a U.S. Army veteran, former corrections officer, and retired master sergeant in the National Guard, is facing off against Democratic candidate and current town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman for the assembly seat.

Cashman is looking to keep the seat in Democratic control after long-time Democratic Assemblyman Billy Jones resigned from it last month.

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Campaign issues

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In Davison’s candidacy announcement earlier this month, he said there are several key issues his campaign will focus on including: fighting the affordability crisis, boosting the local economy and protecting public safety.

At a news conference in the Butcher Block’s Adirondack Room Wednesday, surrounded by Barclay, other Republican Assemblymembers Robert Smullen, Matt Simpson, Ken Blankenbush, Ed Ra and Matt Slater, Clinton County Republican Chairwoman Jerika Manning, and Franklin County Republican Chairman Jason Ellis, Davison elaborated more on his campaign issues and how he would address them should he be elected in November.

For example, Davison said he would be “a check” on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and her policies.

“With that said, I’ll be glad to represent everybody from the 115th district, regardless of party, I’m willing to negotiate and work with anybody that wants some common sense change,” he said.

“My mission is clear. I want to be a strong voice for the North Country … I want to fight back against the destructive policies that make it difficult for us North Country people to survive,” Davison continued.

“Let’s be clear about the one-party rule and what it’s delivered and a lot of this, I can speak from direct experience coming from law enforcement. Bail reform, Raise the Age, Clean Slate Act, HALT Act, the CLCPA energy mandates, sky-high tax rates, some of the highest tax rates in the country, out of control health care costs, a gas stove ban and even, at times, demonizing law enforcement. These are policies that have made New York the most expensive and the most abandoned states in the country.”

Davison added that he will “always stand to protect law-abiding citizens.”

“I’ll vote to hold criminals responsible. I’ll defend energy independence and consumer choice. I’ll fight back against radical, unrealistic energy plans that ignore affordability and practicality, and I will not let the North Country be ignored any longer,” he said.

“This November, the choice is clear: another ‘yes man’ who will follow party orders, or a common sense Conservative who will bring North Country values to Albany. If you want a strong voice for the middle class, for lower taxes, for energy choice and independence, for safer communities, for rural and affordable health care and protecting green spaces, then look no further than to me and to the team that I have with me here today.”

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‘North Country roots’

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Manning said Davison knows what the North Country needs, because he grew up here.

“At the end of the day, this campaign comes down to North Country roots, someone who knows what it’s like to live here, to raise a family here, to work here, and who directly sees what the policies of Albany is doing to the North Country,” she said.

“I’m a lifelong resident of the North Country, of Clinton County, and I’ve seen the way that things can change — the way that leader Barclay alluded to — things can come up into this area that we always said, ‘that’s not going to happen here. It’s not coming here. Those policies aren’t coming here.’ Well, they are. and we need someone who’s going to say, the buck stops here and is willing to stand up for the North Country values in Albany. Brent is that person.”

Ellis also said in a statement Wednesday that the governor’s policies were hurting working families across the North Country.

“Brent Davison represents the change we need in Albany,” he said.

“From his accomplished career as a major in the New York State Police to his service in the military, Brent has dedicated his life to helping others through public service. That’s exactly the kind of representation we need in Albany. I want to thank Assembly Republican Leader Barclay, our Republican assembly members, my fellow county chairs and, most importantly, Brent Davison, for leading the charge to bring real, meaningful change to state government.”

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Stefanik

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One of the state’s highest-ranking Republicans, NY-21 Rep. Elise Stefanik, was not present at Davison’s news conference Wednesday.

In early August, Stefanik previously endorsed Republican Village of Malone Mayor and Franklin County Legislator Andrea Dumas for the 115th Assembly District seat before the three county Republican chairs could meet and discuss potential candidates.

Davison told the media he has spoken with Stefanik a few times since then and was assured he would receive her support in the race.

“When that endorsement (of Dumas) took place, she was not aware of my interest in running,” he said.

“I had a couple different conversations with her, and one of the last ones that I had is that if I was … on the ticket as the Republican candidate, that she would support me.”