Cynthia Appleton’s Announcement Speech
Today, June 13, 2010, Cynthia Appleton officially announced her candidacy to run on the Democratic ticket for the New York State Senate from the 59th District. Her speech took place at the Wyoming County Democrat’s Flag Day Picnic. Preceding her on the podium was Bob Duffy, mayor of Rochester and Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor. Introducing Cynthia was Harold Bush, Wyoming County Democratic Committee Chair and Supervisor of the Town of Gainesville. The video of the speech is also available..
Harold, I thank you for that kind introduction. It means so much to me to have your support, and the support of all of you here today. I’d especially like to thank my husband Gary, my son Greg, my family, my friends and colleagues – your love and support is a treasure to me. Mayor Duffy: to have you here at this event means a great deal, and I’m very grateful. Your kind words mean even more, and I will do everything in my power to live up to them.
It may sound like a cliché, but I really can say that I am truly honored and humbled to stand before you all this afternoon, and I am excited to share my news with you today: I am hereby officially announcing that I am a candidate for the State Senate seat of the 59th District of New York. We have a remarkable journey ahead of us in the next several months, and I am eager to get started.
I decided that I wanted to get into this race, because Albany has been dysfunctional for a generation, and it’s just too damaging to the 59th District and all of New York to let it continue this way any longer. We are potentially at the point of no return unless we make true changes in the capital. With Albany’s habit of just doing the absolute minimum necessary to get by, we need to change common practice to common sense.
New York has many serious problems; I think that we would all put taxes at the top of our list. But we cannot fix taxes or any other problem without fundamentally reforming state government, in particular the Senate. The fact that the legislature doesn’t work is obvious to anyone who has been trying to follow the current budget saga.
Some might think that it’s strange for a nurse to run for the State Senate. I would contend that our government needs more teachers, more farmers, more business people, and yes, more nurses to replace our career politicians. Elected officials are often called public servants, but all too often they serve only special interests with their lobbyists and large campaign contributions. Nurses, on the other hand, serve everyone. Nurses don’t treat people differently because someone happens to be a Democrat, Republican, or independent. We aspire to be objective professionals who put our job above any sort of personal or partisan interests, in order to best serve our communities. Unfortunately for us all, many of our New York State Senators have often stubbornly refused to demonstrate such professionalism, and instead choose partisan gridlock over public service, resistance over reform.
I’m so hopeful that this is the year we can finally make the changes we need, because we have leadership at the top of the ticket in Andrew Cuomo and Bob Duffy who have also made reform their top priority. They understand that we have to fix the system before we can really get New York back on track, and I want to be part of that team.
I pledge that I will go to Albany for us, not for me. I know from my work as a Trustee here in Warsaw what it’s like to stare at a budget with the conviction that we have to make this work without raising people’s taxes any more. It means a lot to me to have the trust of my neighbors and to do my part to help our community. And I recognize the importance of elected representatives working together to improve our state and our future, and I will never lose sight of Albany’s impact at the local level, because I see it every day.
I want to go to Albany to be an effective voice for all of us, someone who can influence legislation instead of just voting against it, someone who can make sure that leadership understands our needs. I have experience with local government, I’m a nurse, and I’m a wife and a mom. I’m a Wyoming County native from a family which has been farming here for generations and from parents who successfully managed a small business in upstate New York for many years. I know this district, and I know that Albany is failing this district and the entire state. I want us to do better, to make New York State great again, a place where our young people want to and are able to stay, live, work, and raise their families.
But I can’t do it alone. I need you on my team. I need your votes. I need your help. Please sign up to volunteer, check out our website, sign a petition, and get involved in this election. Working together, we ordinary folks can make sure Albany works for New Yorkers rather than for career politicians and special interests. I believe TOGETHER we CAN do better, and I pledge to go to work for you to do just that.
Thank you!
