This opinion piece is part of a series written by community members from New York’s 22nd state senate district, explaining why they are voting to reelect Senator Andrew Gounardes in the 2020 election. Early Voting begins Saturday, October 24 and runs daily through Sunday, November 1. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Find your polling site at: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
When times get tough, we need representatives in government who really care. That’s what I see in my friend, Andrew Gounardes, our State Senator. He doesn’t just talk the talk – he walks the walk.
I first met Andrew at the Bay Ridge Cares Annual Pancake Breakfast. Right away, I could see that he is someone who truly cares about giving back to the community and in service.
Over the years, I worked with Andrew on many community service projects, including the Bay Ridge Cares thanksgiving meals for the homebound elderly. Even before being elected, Andrew helped organize and run that event.
When COVID struck our community, I was grateful we had local leaders like Andrew. He hit the ground running, working with Bay Ridge Cares to organize community volunteers to help seniors and the immunocompromised, helping people get unemployment, and even going above and beyond by helping distribute meals to the food insecure. He never takes a break, but that’s what we want in someone who represents us.
The most recent moments that stuck out to me was watching Andrew give out masks by local supermarkets. He’s always cheerful, even to the few people who would say they wouldn’t ever take a mask from a Democrat. He listens to everyone, even those who won’t support him. He truly lives by his “philoxenia” beliefs.
The thing I love most about Andrew is that he is solutions-first. When he sees a problem, he is always seeking out ways to bring the community together to fix it. That’s why he helped pass the Child Victims Act, the strongest climate legislation in the country and has put forward real solutions to solve our property tax problems.
He is a truly decent person when it seems like there’s not enough of that to go around. His opponent represents a lot of what I don’t like about politics: someone who puts himself first, who will divide people, and scare them for the sake of personal ambition.
Senator Gounardes has been and will continue to fight for ALL of us, no matter your party affiliation. On November 3, I will proudly be supporting Andrew Gounardes for State Senator and I urge you to do the same!
