The Monroe County Democratic Committee announced a candidate for the 55th State Senate District Monday morning.
Jen Lunsford will be seeking the nomination to take on Senator Rich Funke in the 2018 general election.
Lunsford is a mom and attorney and says she wants to see more people like herself represented in government.
"There are 63 state senators in New York. Only 14 of them are women. And of those 14 women, almost none have young children. As a working mother of a toddler, I aim to change that. I think it’s time to take a seat at the table, and bring the views and concerns of working parents to Albany."
The 55th district stretches across two counties, the eastern portions of Monroe County and western section of Ontario County, and includes communities such as Pittsford, Bloomfield, Bristol and the eastern side of the city of Rochester.
Chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party, Jamie Romeo says that makes the district unique, as well as the fact that a republican has consistently won the seat even though almost 40% of the voters in the district are democrats.
Senator Rich Funke responded to the announcement saying :
“I remain focused on my job as your State Senator. In my three plus years in the Senate, I’ve delivered on my promise to insure our region gets its fair share, which includes record school aid, lowering middle class taxes, enacting equal pay for women, and supporting a better business environment while protecting the rights of workers. These accomplishments are why keeping the Republican majority in the State Senate is vital to our area. While I encourage competition, it cannot be overstated that no upstate elected Democrat in the Senate will truly represent the interests of Rochester and the Finger Lakes area over downstate interests, and come this fall, I believe the voters will agree.”