Utica's Mike Gentile Announces Candidacy for NYS Assembly

Mike Gentile officially jumped into the race for the 119th New York State Assembly seat on Tuesday, setting the stage for a wide-open contest following Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon’s decision not to seek re-election.

Gentile, a lifelong Mohawk Valley resident and longtime public servant, says his campaign will focus on showing up, listening, and representing people who feel increasingly disconnected from Albany.

“This campaign is about presence and understanding,” Gentile said. “It’s about showing up in our communities, listening to people’s concerns, and making sure every voice in the Mohawk Valley is heard.”

Affordability is expected to be a major theme of Gentile’s run. He pointed to rising utility bills and everyday financial stress as issues Albany has failed to address.

“People are scared to open their National Grid bills,” Gentile said. “Families are being squeezed, and instead of focusing on lowering costs, we’re hearing about bans on gas-powered snow blowers.”

Gentile said Albany needs leadership that understands what it means to stretch a dollar and how state policies affect local governments and taxpayers.

Gentile will be seeking the Republican and Conservative party lines.

The race already includes several candidates. Democrats John Lipe and Joe Betar have announced they are running, along with Republican Daniel Fusco.

The seat is open after Buttenschon, a Democrat first elected in 2018, announced she will not run for another term.

Gentile says additional details about his campaign and upcoming events will be announced in the coming weeks.