Updated July 15 to correct title of Conservative Party chairman.

BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — A group of 30 supporters joined Conservative Assembly candidate Susan Duffy at the Ogdensburg Dobisky Center Thursday where she said she wasn’t giving up on her bid for the 116th District seat.

Duffy is challenging Scott Gray who won the Republican Primary against Duffy in June.

“I stand here today with the Conservative Party to proudly announce my intention to continue this campaign. From the Conservative line I will fight to win this Assembly seat in November."

Duffy said her decision to stay in the race has drawn ire from Republican Party leaders.

“I have been told by many in the Republican establishment that I should step down, endorse my opponent, wait my turn and that the Republican voters have spoken. But have they really?” She asked.

Duffy said there are more than 28,000 active Republican voters in the 116th Assembly District, more than 1,000 Conservatives, more than 24,000 Democrats and an additional 22,000 listed as other or blank.

“I believe you all deserve a choice in this critical race. I believe you need a representative who loves the North Country as much as you do, who will fight for you and our way of life. Someone who won’t back down when it gets tough. Someone who has integrity is tenacious, who has preserved through difficult times. Someone who will fight for your right to have a choice,” she said.

Duffy criticized Gray from shying away from a debate during the primary race and said his campaign was focused on posing for pictures and taking credit for projects he had little “if any involvement in.”

“People are tired of career politicians who count on voters not being engaged, hoping the familiarity of their name or party line will carry them over the finish line, fattening their pensions as they ride the political train,” she said.

Duffy said she refused to step down and “let the stat quo, once again, put a weak leader in office.”

Duffy said she’ll be holding town hall meetings throughout the coming weeks around the district and will allow the attendees to interview her. She also encouraged Gray to join her and doubled down on her calls for a debate with her opponent.

Duffy said she’ll be working across party lines to find support and talk about the real issues facing the North Country.

“The bottom is this. Just 377 voters chose the Republican candidate for the General Election. There is no Democrat running for this seat. With 75,000 active voters in this district, by staying in this race, win or lose, this will be the choice of the people. Not the establishment,” she said.

Among those in attendance was St. Lawrence County Conservative Party Chairman Hank Ford who offered his support for Duffty.

He also made clear that the St. Lawrence County Conservative Party did not endorse Gray. He criticized Gray for failing to circulate Conservative petitions and choosing not to run a primary race against Duffy for the Conservative line.

Following her speech Duffy fielded questions from those in attendance where she said she was a strong supporter of term limits, she said that more transparency is needed in government and particularly in social services.

She also advocated for more mental health and addiction recovery resources, which she says New York has failed to address.