Rachel May defended her state senate seat on Tuesday, winning re-election in New York’s 48th district.The incumbent Democrat defeated the Republican challenger, Caleb Slater, and secured her fourth term in the state senate. The Associated Press called the race just before midnight and later listed May as leading by more than 20,000 votes with 98% of ballots processed.The 48th district spans Cayuga County and parts of Onondaga County, and contains Auburn and Syracuse. May has represented the district since 2023. Before that, she represented the 53rd district. May sits on 10 state senate committees and serves as chair for the Committee on Cities 2 and Legislative Commission on Rural Resources.May said in a speech that she felt most excited to continue working on providing more affordable housing choices, combating child poverty and ensuring the protection of freshwater, particularly in the Finger Lakes.She noted the progress she’s seen in New York election laws since her 2018 win, describing them as previously being some of the worst in the country. She also acknowledged the state’s public matching fund system, which she said changed how she was able to run for office.“The idea is people can run who aren’t famous, who aren’t rich, who don’t have rich friends, but they have good ideas,” May said. “And the whole point of our democracy is for voters to have choices on the ballot, and our public financing system is making that happen.”This race was the first political campaign for Slater, who has never held public office. The 27-year-old challenger with a real estate background got his start in politics in 2022 when he volunteered for Rep. Brandon Williams’ 2022 primary campaign. Later that year, Slater was part of an organization that worked to elect Sen. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina. Throughout the race, May and Slater butted heads on issues like bail reform, the housing crisis and development around Micron.While Slater made abolishing bail reform a cornerstone of his campaign messaging, May reiterated her support for bail reform and a belief it should be amended to become more effective. Throughout the race, Slater blamed May and her Democratic colleagues in the state legislature for crime rates. The city’s housing crisis loomed large over this race. May is the sponsor of a bill aimed at providing legal counsel to tenants in housing court. Slater did not commit to supporting or opposing that legislation in a question-and-answer interview with Central Current. The candidates had disparate visions for the future of I-81; Slater opposed the highway’s removal while May supported the removing the highway and creating a community grid. Slater and May agreed, however, that New York State can soften zoning regulations to speed up housing development both around the highway and throughout the city.The post State Senator Rachel May wins fourth term, defeats Caleb Slater in NY-48 race appeared first on Central Current.