State/Federal Republican Elected Officials
Representative government: also known as an “indirect democracy” or a republic. This is when the people elect “representatives” to make laws for their benefit.
Republic: the type of government in which voters elect representatives to make the laws for the country.
STATE & FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
Jim Vazzana
7th JD State Supreme Court
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Jason Cook
7th JD State Supreme Court
info@needtoupdate.gov
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Jeff Gallahan
NYS Assemblyman 131st District
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Website: Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan
Jeff Gallahan was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 3, 2020. His district is comprised of Ontario County and parts of Seneca County.
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Jeff believes that his real-world experience will be beneficial to the people of his district and throughout New York. He is a believer in the “American Dream” and has raised his children to be hard-working while leading by example. As an Assemblyman, Jeff will fight to hold the line on taxes and push for an end to recently enacted bail reform measures. He believes this is a critical time in history when it comes to police and community relations, and we must ensure law enforcement has all the tools necessary to keep our communities safe. Jeff is committed to standing up for middle-class values, small businesses and our important agricultural community.
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Prior to being elected, Jeff was a journeyman machinist at the General Railway Signal Company, moved into Cutting Tool Sales with various Manufactures and moved up the ranks, eventually taking on a number of management roles. Jeff and his wife, Lynn, are proud small business owners and founded CR7 Food Trailer and Catering in 2017. The business serves Manchester and surrounding communities. Through this venture, they are able to give back to a variety of causes by donating their time and resources, including the Boy Scouts of America and the Shortsville American Legion. He has also served as the Manchester Town Supervisor for 11 years and 4 years prior as Town Councilman.
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Jeff is the founder of The Red Jacket High School trap shooting team where he teaches local youth about firearms safety. He also volunteers for the Sons of the American Legion, Clifton Springs Area YMCA and is a proud supporter of the Back the Blue movement and local sportsman clubs.
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A lifelong resident of Ontario County, Jeff and his wife of 42 years Lynn, are the proud parents of two children who attended local schools and grew up in the community and proud grandparents of 3 grandchildren.
Pamela Helming
NYS Senator for the 54th District
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Website: Senator Pamela Helming
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Pam Helming, and her husband Gary, have been residents of Canandaigua for over thirty years and have raised their two children, Catherine and Evan, in the local schools and community.
After graduating from Hiram College in 1984, Pam worked with developmentally disabled individuals which led her to manage several local group homes. From this experience, Pam learned that she wished to dedicate her life to serving others. Her desire to make a difference in the community led to public service, first as a town board member, and later being elected Town Supervisor of Canandaigua.
As Canandaigua Town Supervisor, she reduced property tax rates, cut unnecessary expenses, repaired infrastructure, and grew jobs by attracting new businesses and development. As a Town Board Member, Pam introduced a resolution in opposition to Gov. Cuomo’s disastrous SAFE Act.
A champion for the vast local natural resources in the region, Pam serves as a member of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council, and has worked diligently to preserve, protect, and promote water quality and the overall environment in the region.
Recognizing the importance of the small local community in which she raised her family, Pam has devoted her time to a variety of causes including serving as Vice President of the Board for the Parkside Drive, a veterans housing project opening later this year, as well as a member of the Quail Summit Senior Living Center Board of Directors. She has also served as a volunteer for the United Way and helped with fundraising efforts for numerous organizations in the community.
Claudia Tenney
United States Congresswoman NY-24 District
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Website: Claudia Tenney
Claudia Tenney was first elected to serve as a member of the United States House of Representatives on November 8, 2016, after winning one of the most expensive races in the nation. As a freshman member of the 115th Congress, she served on the House Financial Services Committee.
Claudia was elected to the House of Representatives for a second time in November 2020, in what was yet again among the most expensive and competitive congressional races in the country.
Prior to her election in November 2016, Claudia served as a member of the New York State Assembly. She was first elected to the Assembly on November 2, 2010.
Claudia is an accomplished attorney and longtime small business owner. Claudia was the co-owner and legal counsel to Mid-York Press, Inc., a commercial printing and manufacturing firm started by her grandfather in 1946. Mid-York Press currently employs nearly 70 people in the Chenango County community of Sherburne. Claudia also maintained a private law practice in Clinton, New York.
Claudia graduated from Colgate University and the Taft College of Law at the University of Cincinnati. She is admitted to the bar in New York, Connecticut and Florida. She also is admitted to all federal courts including the United States Supreme Court. Prior to opening her private practice, Claudia was a partner in the Utica-area law firm of Groben, Gilroy, Oster and Saunders.
In 1997, Claudia established Tenney Media Group and served as its publisher and corporate counsel. Tenney Media Group, also based in Clinton, published and printed free community newspapers founded by Claudia’s parents and grandparents — the Mid-York Weekly and the Pennysaver. These publications covered three Central New York counties with eight separate weekly editions and had a circulation exceeding 100,000 households. This division was sold to Gannett in 2004.
Apart from the influence of Claudia’s family and her legal training, Claudia’s approach to public service has been shaped by experiences beyond politics. Claudia was the only American employed by the Consulate General of Yugoslavia, which led to her strong relationship with the large Bosnian refugee population in the Utica area. She also published and produced the first Bosnian newspaper in Utica. Claudia remains an active member of her community, serving on numerous boards and volunteer organizations throughout the district.
Claudia is the daughter of the late Honorable John R. Tenney, who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York in the Fifth Judicial District from 1969 through 2003, and the mother of U.S. Naval Academy graduate Trey Cleary, who serves as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
