Upstate Jobs Party Announces Major Endorsements in Hudson Valley

Independent Political Organization Supporting Dynamic Team of Candidate to Fight for Private Sector Job Growth from Westchester to Ulster and Sullivan Counties

Albany, NY – Upstate Jobs Party (UJP) today announced new endorsements for State Senate for the first time in the Hudson Valley.  While in previous years, UJP had supported candidates across the State, this year represents the first Hudson Valley endorsements.  The Hudson Valley UJP team of candidates will include State Senator Sue Serino, and candidates Mike Martucci, Bill Weber, Steve Brescia, and Rob Astorino. UJP announced these endorsements and support for these candidates as the right choices in the Hudson Valley to aggressively pursue opportunities for private sector job growth, while focusing on reforming our education system, realigning economic development policy, boosting the innovation economy and leading holistic government reform in the State.

UJP recognized Serino and Martucci’s steadfast commitment to expanding broadband and improving education outcomes to drive job growth, as well as Weber and Brescia’s focus on improved accountability in the bloated and broken economic development system in New York.  Finally, Astorino’s dedication to small and startup businesses, and long record fighting for the growth of the innovation economy rounded out a team ready to support job growth on day one.

Martin Babinec said, “The Upstate Jobs Party looked across the State for the right kind of candidates to support and we’ve found a dynamic and talented team of strong leaders making up our Hudson Valley slate.  After spending time learning about the business and technical acumen of this team, as well as the deep commitment to public service, we knew we’d found the right group to be UJP’s first Hudson Valley team. Each candidate has embraced UJP’s platform to reverse the outmigration of our talent and is committed to developing policy to enable private investment in our economy and reform State government.”

For 2020, UJP has launched a platform with 4 main areas of focus – reforming a broken economic development system, overhauling our education system to empower teachers and students, supporting the innovation economy, and seeking holistic government reform.  UJP believes this focus will help stem the outflow of our young talent, getting government out of the way of investors and entrepreneurs, and fully reforming New York State government.  That platform can be found at www.UpstateJobs.org/platform.

New York State Senator Sue Serino said, “As we work to rebuild our community and our state, we need leaders who know we cannot tax our way out of this crisis. Now, more than ever, we have to be laser focused on retaining and creating innovative jobs that will get our neighbors safely back to work, reinvigorate our economy, and move New York forward. The Upstate Jobs Party will be an invaluable partner in this effort and I am truly honored to have earned their endorsement at such a critical time.”

Former Westchester County Executive and Senate Candidate Rob Astorino said, “I’m honored to be endorsed by the Upstate Jobs Party. Now more than ever, the focus needs to be on improving the climate necessary for job creation and growth. Long before the pandemic-inspired lockdowns began hurting the economy and killing jobs, New York’s massive and punitive tax and regulatory framework was doing so. I look forward to working with Martin Babinec and other job creators and lawmakers in taking the necessary and long overdue steps to rebuild our state.”

New York State Senate Candidate Mike Martucci said, ““As someone that started my own small business at 22 years old and created 550 local jobs in the Hudson Valley, I know first-hand the challenges of doing business in New York and am completely committed to supporting  the innovation economy, fostering local startups and stopping the outflow of talent to other parts of the country. I am honored to accept the endorsement of the Upstate Jobs Party and once elected, I will work to cut taxes, slash bureaucratic red tape and stand with the workers and job creators that will get our economy moving again.”

New York State Senate Candidate Bill Webber said, ““For New York State to realize a full economic recovery, following the COVID-19 pandemic, we must work together, as one state. Upstate Jobs will play a critical role in that rebuilding. I’m appreciative of their support and look forward to working together to bring more jobs to all of New York.”

New York State Senate Candidate Steve Brescia said, “”The enormous burdens that Albany places on our small businesses stifles economic growth, kills jobs and is making it harder for businesses to recover from the COVID shutdown.   By reducing regulations and eliminating mountains of red tape, we can forge a stronger economy and get New Yorkers back to work. Thank you Upstate Jobs Party for your endorsement and commitment to improving New York’s business climate.”

Founded in 2016, the Upstate Jobs Party built support through the platform put forward by Martin Babinec, a successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has helped hundreds of others start and grow companies in Upstate NY. Supporters of his independent Congressional bid came together following the 2016 election with commitments to stay involved in advancing UJP.

In 2017, Upstate Jobs Party supported independent candidate Ben Walsh, who successfully upset the political establishment by winning election as Syracuse Mayor on an Upstate Jobs Party line. In 2018 State Elections, three of the four candidates supported by UJP were elected, with six out of seven elected in local races in 2019.  Today’s announcement is one of several UJP endorsements for State offices statewide.

“As we continue to spread our message, we find more and more candidates and elected officials who believe that fostering an environment where new companies in innovation industries can succeed is the surest path towards creating a stronger economy in Upstate NY,” added John Bullis, UJP Chairman.

Significant resources, from the Independent Expenditure committee – Upstate Jobs Committee – will be committed to support the elections of candidates that believe in real policies to grow the Upstate economy in the 2020 campaign cycle. Volunteers interested in joining the effort to create more jobs in Upstate NY, keep our best and brightest talent from leaving to pursue opportunities elsewhere, and build a strong economy throughout the region are encouraged to visit www.UpstateJobs.org or www.VoteUpstateJobs.org to learn more.