I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with numerous individuals throughout my time as a state legislator, and I’m grateful for the time I’ve had with each of them. However, there is one man I want to take a moment to recognize for our unique working relationship and congratulate him on his recent successes. Following the selection of my colleague Sen. Robert Ortt as Senate Minority Leader, I’d like to share some words of congratulations and reminisce on my time working with him.

Sen. Ortt and I come from the same region of Western New York, and we both share Orleans County in our districts, which means we’ve had a lot of face time over the years. He’s a hardworking, dedicated individual, who truly understands what it means to be the voice of the people he’s representing. He knows how to fight for what he believes in, and he knows how to stay connected with constituents. In modern politics, it can be easy to feel disconnected from senators, but I’ve always been impressed with Sen. Ortt’s ability to never lose sight of where he comes from.

Being an Afghanistan War veteran, Sen. Ortt knows about hard work. It’s because of that work ethic that he’s been so successful for his region of Orleans County and all of New York. It’s why I’m equally as excited to see him in such a position of leadership, as with it comes the knowledge that Orleans County, and by extension Western New York, will benefit from the continued and combined momentum from his work and my own.

I know that, with Sen. Ortt at the helm, policy can be strongly redirected toward initiatives that are so pressing, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, such as business relief and small-town support. I am pleased to continue working with you, Senator!