It’s about time. I hope the people in his district will get out and support the primary opponent. We need a positive change in the Assembly and this is what I have been hoping for for years. 31 years Silver has been in politics and it’s time for his term to expire. Good luck to both these guys, my only suggestion, join forces and only have one run. 3 candidates on the ballot will just mean a victory for Silver.

wbfo NewsRoom

For the first time in 22 years, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is facing a Democratic primary. Not one, but two, political newcomers are challenging one of the state’s most powerful office-holders.

Paul Newell and Luke Henry were still in diapers when Sheldon Silver was a freshman lawmaker in the Assembly. Now, each is embarking on a campaign to unseat the veteran incumbent. Silver’s not commenting on the challenge. But he has campaign warchest of $3 million. And his influence stretches from his Manhattan district to Buffalo.

Newell, by comparison, has just $40,000 saved up. Henry has yet to say how much he has. Newell is a former congressional staffer while Henry is an attorney.

Their story was told Tuesday in the “Albany Times Union” by three aspiring reporters from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. We reached one of the three, Meghan Goth, just as she was heading to class Tuesday night.

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