Minor Party Plays Major Role as Insurgent Defeats 20-year Incumbent
Today the Working Families Party celebrated Joe Addabbo’s victory (D-WF) over incumbent Republican Serphin Maltese in the race for the 15th State Senate seat. The grassroots third party knocked on over 120,000 doors in the race to help put Addabbo over the top.
“Whether it’s cleaning up Albany, protecting affordable housing, or passing commonsense laws like paid family leave, Senate Republicans have blocked progress on reforms working families need for years,” said Dan Cantor, Working Families Party Executive Director. “Joe Addabbo has always stood with us in the City Council, so we’re thrilled to know he’ll be fighting the good fight in Albany,”
Five Working Families Party staffers joined the Addabbo campaign full-time in the months before election day and the WFP co-led the campaign’s field operation. WFP canvassers knocked on an astounding 120,000 doors in the district, including the final get-out-the-vote push.
“Without the Working Families Party I never would have been able to get out my message of change to nearly as many voters,” said a jubilant Addabbo. “Nobody works harder for working people than the WFP, and I am incredibly proud to have had their support on this campaign to change Albany.”
"The Working Families Party has come to play an integral role in New York State politics and I am proud to have had their support on my campaign. Nobody works harder for working people than the WFP, and I look forward to working together to advance the needs of all New Yorkers. The WFP is truly the people's party and without their outstanding operation, we might not be standing here victorious," added Addabbo.
In addition to the Addabbo campaign, the Working Families Party deployed a massive field operation in close coordination with Senate Democrats around the state in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
The effort included embedding over a dozen full-time staff in key campaigns and a canvass operation that knocked on just over half a million doors statewide. Along with its affiliated unions, the WFP deployed more than 2,000 people on Election Day.
