To the Editor:
I write to say emphatically that I support Dustin Reidy in succeeding Pat Fahy in the New York State Assembly for the 109th District.

I’m a young person, and I want to admit that my generation is cynical. We’re a quarrelsome and belligerent bunch, and we struggle to remain hopeful.

Our understanding of the American political landscape is built upon a loose amalgamation of flashy sound bites and felony indictments and fuzzy moral compasses. Rather than confronting our nation’s cartoonishly disturbing political identity crisis, we run away and assume we cannot tangibly impact the system around us. In turn, it’s a challenge for my generation to have faith in our political system.

When legislators run contrary to the performative/flaky/unscrupulous status quo, it can be startling — and energizing. I spent three years working to prevent gun violence in the Capital Region.

Through that work, I led a team of young volunteers to advocate for common-sense gun laws from the Albany County Legislature to the state and federal levels. At the height of our disgust with our government’s ability to work for us — at a march in Albany in 2022 to honor the victims lost in the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas — Dustin Reidy showed up for our team.

First, Dustin listened. He took our fears about gun violence in our local community seriously, not in pursuit of praise or approval, but because he wanted to sincerely understand where we came from.

Through our collaboration, Dustin authored and passed three bills in the Albany County Legislature that usher in a more responsible gun culture — one with unanimous bipartisan support. His Assembly campaign is deservedly endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety because of these remarkable accomplishments.

Listen, each candidate in this Assembly race is a strong leader with their own strengths. But the State Assembly is maybe a little bit like high school (as a soon-to-be-graduating high school student, I mean that!) where it can be tough to stand out in a Democratic supermajority.

Dustin stood out as a unique champion for gun violence prevention in the Albany County Legislature. He will stand out as a strong Democratic voice in the Assembly whose moral conscience will compel him to fight relentlessly for Albany, Guilderland, and New Scotland. I hope you vote accordingly — either early through June 23 or on primary day, June 25.

Conor Webb

Guilderland