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Democrat Pete Harckham, age 64, has been projected as winning re-election for his fourth term in the New York State Senate seat representing Northern Westchester and parts of Putnam and Rockland counties, according to the state's Board of Elections.
As of just after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, Harckham was leading his opponent, Republican Gina Arena, by 50 to 44 percent.
In total, Harckham received 84,789 votes of those tallied, over 10,000 more than those cast for Arena. It is Harckham's highest margin of victory in his career, according to his office.
In a statement after his win, Harckham said the support he received during his campaign was "phenomenal."
"I truly appreciate all of the voters in Senate District 40 for making their voices heard in this important election," Harckham said, adding, "I am guided by the confidence and trust that residents place in my public service, and will continue to be engaged in the hard work necessary to keep moving New York forward.
"This victory is a validation for how hard our team works for the residents in this district," he continued.
The 40th District includes the Northern Westchester municipalities of Peekskill, Bedford, Cortlandt, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Salem, Somers, Yorktown, Mount Kisco, Ossining, Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan, and Croton-on-Hudson; the Putnam County municipalities of Carmel, Kent, Patterson, Southeast, and Brewster; and the Rockland County town of Stony Point.
Throughout his campaign, Harckham focused on issues such as the protection of women's reproductive healthcare choices; gun safety laws; addressing climate change; tax cuts for the middle class; and education aid for schools.
Meanwhile, Arena focused her campaign on issues like public safety, creating jobs, cutting taxes, ending the migrant crisis, and shutting down illegal cannabis shops.
Harckham was originally elected to the State Senate in 2018 and has served as chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee.
In 2018, he won by just over 3,000 votes; in 2020 he won by over 6,000 votes; and in 2022, he won by just under 8,500 votes.
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