Croton's Justin Wagner Declares State Sen. Challenge to Ball

Cortlandt resident Justin Wagner announced his candidacy for the New York State Senate this morning, citing the distressed economy and ongoing lack of jobs in the Hudson Valley.

Wagner will be running in the 2012 election for the 40^th District senate seat against incumbent Sen. Greg Ball (R-Patterson), who Wagner says has been pushing a Tea Party agenda that is out of touch with the moderate Hudson Valley region.

“Primarily I think that opportunities for middle class families in the district have been declining and the state government is doing very little to address those needs,” Wagner told Patch.

“For too many years, bitter partisan politics have kept New York State
from making vital investments in job growth, infrastructure, and
education, all of which deeply impact the middle class,” Wagner said.  

Wagner, who is 30 years old, grew up in LaGrange, Dutchess County and has lived in Croton-on-Hudson with his wife and daughter for the last two years. He works as an attorney specializing in commercial litigation and serves as a Democratic District Leader in Cortlandt, a community organizer for Organizing for America and has been active in advocating for fair and independent redistricting.

Although he never ran for office in New York, Wagner ran for and was elected to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in Washington, DC. He served a two-year term as the neighborhood commissioner.

“I’m not a professional politician, but I know we need a State Senator who will work with Governor Cuomo to put this economy back on the right footing, while at the same time fixing the way Albany operates.  The time for partisan bickering and political games is over.”

District 40 includes northern Westchester County (including Croton, Cortlandt, Yorktown, Mount Kisco and Bedford), all of Putnam County and part of Dutchess County.

You can visit Wagner’s website at www.JustinWagner2012.com for more information.