Upstate Jobs Party backs three Cayuga County-area state Senate candidates – Auburn Citizen

The Upstate Jobs Party endorsed state Sen. Pam Helming in the 54th district, Peter Oberacker in the 51st and Angi Renna in the 50th. Helming, Oberacker and Renna are Republicans. They also have the support of the Conservative and Independence parties. 

Martin Babinec, the party’s founder, praised Helming’s efforts to improve economic development and support broadband expansion. He also highlighted Oberacker and Renna, both of whom are business owners. 

“Each candidate has embraced UJP’s platform to reverse the outmigration of our talent and is committed to developing policy to enable private investment in our economy and reform state government,” Babinec said. 

The party, which was founded in 2016, advocates for education, economic and government reform. It does not have an automatic ballot line, but does support candidates for state and local offices. 

In 2018, the Upstate Jobs Party endorsed Bob Antonacci in the 50th Senate District. He won the election that year to succeed retiring state Sen. John DeFrancisco. Renna, R-Manlius, is seeking to fill the seat vacated by Antonacci when he was elected in 2019 to serve as a state Supreme Court judge. 

Renna’s opponent is John Mannion, the Democrat whom Antonacci defeated two years ago. 

Oberacker, R-Schenevus, is running to succeed state Sen. Jim Seward, who is retiring at the end of the year, in the 51st district. His opponent is Democratic candidate Jim Barber. 

Helming, R-Canandaigua, is seeking a third term in the state Senate after she was first elected in 2016. She is heavily favored to win reelection in the 54th Senate District. 

In addition to running for reelection, Helming is the chair of the state Senate Republican Campaign Committee.