To the Editor,
The Westchester Board of Elections has certified the June 28 primary election results. Despite our strong re-election effort, we were not successful. While we won 70 of 127 election districts, the turnout in those districts was very low and the other 56 districts produced more votes for my opponent.
Thank you to all who participated in the June 28 primary election. Democracy depends on voters exercising their right to vote.
A special thank you to all who worked on my behalf. We can be proud that we ran a positive campaign on my record of delivering for the 92nd District and for New York.
I thank the people of the 92ndDistrict for giving me the opportunity to represent them in Albany for 12 years. I look forward to continuing to work for them and the people of New York for the remainder of the year.
One further note, I am disappointed and outraged by the coordinated effort in campaign literature and social media to use innuendo, half-truths and outright lies to malign me personally and attempt to destroy my reputation built over 40 years of community service.
Especially egregious was the attempt to portray me as anti-woman and unsympathetic to female victims. Those who know me will say just the opposite. My long record shows the contrary. I was a founding board member and pro bono attorney for the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion (before New York was a pro-choice state), an outspoken advocate for the Survivors Act and a supporter of every legislative initiative to ensure women’s equality and assist victims.
Our nation is besieged by viral disinformation campaigns. It’s disheartening to see the same tactics used locally by Democrats. Democrats must live up to a higher standard and call out those who damage our democracy by using those despicable tactics.
The vicious attacks on me and my reputation are unforgivable. Those who perpetrated them should be ashamed.
Tom Abinanti