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Peekskill, NY – U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, announced her endorsement of Justin Wagner for State Senate this morning, capping “Women for Wagner Week,” a week-long focus on issues affecting Hudson Valley women in the 40th Senate District race.
“At every level of government, women are under assault from conservative extremists who want to turn back the clock on equal pay, workplace equality, and reproductive rights. I need partners like Justin who will stand up for the rights of women to receive equal pay for equal work and to make our own healthcare decisions,” said Senator Gillibrand.
Senator Gillibrand joins a growing slate of women legislators leading the fight for equality and women’s rights who are supporting Wagner. Earlier this week, U.S. RepresentativeNita Lowey and State Assemblywoman Sandra Galef joined Wagner at a roundtable in Mt. Kisco to discuss the persistence of the gender-based wage gap and raise the visibility of equal pay legislation. Women still only make about 82 cents on the dollar compared to men in New York, barely better than the national wage gap of 77 cents on the dollar. Wagner’s opponent, incumbent Republican Senator Greg Ball, has voted twice against the New York State Fair Pay Act.
“I am honored to have Senator Gillibrand’s support and have the deepest respect for the leadership she has shown on issues of equality and civil rights,” said Justin Wagner. ”No one knows better than Senator Gillibrand that women’s rights are under attack in Washington. Even here in New York, extreme anti-woman Republican Senators like Greg Ball stand in the way of the Fair Pay Act, the Reproductive Health Act, and other critical legislation to protect women. Albany can do more for women, and when I join the Senate I will work to get it done.”
Women for Wagner Week events included:
- A Pay Equality Roundtable Featuring Rep. Lowey and Assemblywoman Galef on Wednesday, Sept. 19
- A Women for Wagner Rally on Sunday, Sept. 16
- Multiple woman-to-woman canvasses and phone banks all week
Justin Wagner is running to represent the Hudson Valley’s 40th Senate District in the New York State Senate. He is an attorney raising his family in Croton-on-Hudson. The 40thDistrict, which includes portions of northern Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties, is one of the most competitive in the state, with first-term Senator Greg Ball winning just 51 percent of the vote in 2010.
ERROR: An earlier version of this announcement said that this release was sent by someone other than Justin Wagner.
