Just a few weeks after longtime Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo MA ‘84 announced she will not seek reelection, several local Democrats have declared their candidacies in the race to succeed her.

After serving for 11 terms, Lupardo, who represented New York’s 123rd district, will leave the Assembly at the end of this year. Four Democratic candidates have already announced their intent to run for the seat; Nick Libous, a previous candidate for Broome County clerk; Daniel Livingston, a former member of the Binghamton City Council; Daniel Norton, a lawyer based in Binghamton; and Jermaine Graham, the former grant administrator for State Sen. Lea Webb ‘04.

Libous is the son of the late Republican State Sen. Tom Libous and currently owns a cell phone tower building company. He narrowly lost the race for Broome County Clerk last year to Aaron Martin, the Republican candidate and clerk of the county legislature.

“When I heard that Donna Lupardo was retiring, I knew that there would be big shoes to fill,” Libous said in an interview with Pipe Dream. “And I know that with my experience and when I’ve done campaigning, I believe that I was a strong candidate, not only to win this race, after looking at the numbers in last year’s clerk’s race, but I feel as though I’ll be the candidate who will go the extra mile in Albany to secure the funding we need and to make sure that we’re not overlooked. And I think that’s really what this position is about.”

Despite coming up short in his previous campaign, Libous said that he plans to continue a grassroots approach, focusing on individual voters. He explained that much of his platform is centered around affordability, particularly in housing and energy costs.

Livingston served on the Binghamton City Council for one year in 2019. He also served as executive director of the Cannabis Association of New York and is now doing advocacy work for agriculture-related businesses in Albany.

“Right now, people are really crying out for authentic leadership to protect our way of life from all these shifts in our society and politics,” Livingston said in an interview with Pipe Dream. “And as an assemblymember, I’m going to fight like hell for people in the district who are worrying about the high cost of everything [from] health care to utility bills.”

He explained that he also plans to focus on what he summarized as the “high price of literally everything,” infrastructure and issues related to immigration. He cited the 287(g) agreement that the Broome County Sheriff’s Office signed with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement back in March, saying that a concern of his is the “continued and accelerating presence of masked goons on the street.”

The 287(g) agreement, signed by the sheriff’s office in March 2025, authorizes law enforcement “to serve and execute administrative warrants on aliens in their agency’s jail,” according to the federal program’s website. Sheriff Fred Akshar has previously stated that the office’s “specific participation in the 287(g) program has zero impact on immigration enforcement in Broome County.”

Federal immigration enforcement has become an increasingly contentious issue, both in Broome County and nationwide. Over the weekend, protests were held across the country after 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

As a city councilmember, Livingston was the subject of a four-month independent investigation following allegations that he used his position to create an unauthorized paid internship for one of his campaign staffers, then a Binghamton University graduate student. The investigation ultimately found him not guilty of breaking any city laws but prompted changes to the city council’s internship guidelines.

Norton is a partner at Hinman, Howard & Kattell law firm, president of the Board of Directors for Broome County Habitat for Humanity, vice chair of the Board of Directors for Tri-Cities Opera and a member of the Board of Trustees for WSKG.

Although he is new to the political arena, Norton told Pipe Dream that his experience as an attorney has prepared him for public service, teaching him the importance of active listening and engaging with people from all walks of life. He plans to work towards addressing the housing crisis, establishing universal childcare, lowering SUNY tuition and passing the New York Health Act, which would expand access to health insurance.

“As a political newcomer, I bring a fresh perspective and a different way of thinking about the challenges our community faces,” Norton wrote in a statement to Pipe Dream. “Sometimes, real progress requires us to look at familiar problems with new eyes—to question old assumptions and to imagine solutions that move us forward. That perspective allows me to approach the work with creativity and with a clear focus on what matters most: making life more affordable for families across the Southern Tier.”

Graham served as grant administrator for Webb, a position he resigned from earlier this month to join the race for Lupardo’s seat. He also previously served as a constituent liaison for Assemblyman Al Stirpe from 2022 to 2024.

He plans to address poverty rates and focus on ways to increase available jobs and affordable housing. Graham told News 34 that his experience in the political sphere is what sets him apart from his opponents.

“If you want someone to work on your car, you don’t hire a cashier,” Graham said to News 34. “You hire a mechanic. So you want someone with that experience to do the job for you. If you want someone to represent you, you want someone to be your voice in Albany, so you should elect someone who has experience in that area. I’m that person.”