Broome Republicans on Wednesday announced the candidate who will challenge Lea Webb for the 52nd State Senate District in the 2024 election.

Candidate Mike Sigler comes from Tompkins County. A county in which Webb won by a landslide two years ago, over 70 percent of the vote, enough to narrowly beat former Binghamton mayor Rich David. David won Broome and Cortland counties.

At the Sons of Italy in Endicott, Sheriff Fred Akshar introduced the longtime Tompkins County legislator as someone middle of the road looking for common-sense solutions to issues like public safety. 

"I know in my heart that this community deserves someone who is going to stand up and fight for what is right. It's going to stand up and fight for the needs of everyday New Yorkers who live in Senate District 52. It's a sad it's it's a sad state of affairs. The things that we've we've witnessed over the last 13 or 14 months, Akshar said.

Akshar and Sigler accused Webb of being absent and not listening to constituents on bail reform and public safety issues. 

Sigler pointed to Webb's response to the NYSEG rate hike that she and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo opposed. Webb hosted workshops with the Public Utility Law program (PULP) to help residents apply for relief. 

"And, you know, you know, too, with the utility costs and the electricity costs, they're enormous right now.  But my opponent, what she would say is, we're going to put you on a government program. We're going to pay with taxpayer dollars to to offset that bill. Instead of why don't we put policies in place that increase the supply?"

As Republicans took aim at Webb, more than a dozen of her supporters staged a protest against Sigler. He was part of the Republican coalition that sued Governor Kathy Hochul after she signed legislation expanding voter rights. 

"We are here to protest that because we should be expanding people's ability to vote especially because we have a very elderly community here, said organizer Lori Wahila.

The lawsuit alleges mail-in voting violates the state constitution.

"It comes back to the whole constitutional issue with voting. I just want things done the right way," Sigler said.

If elected, Sigler would be a member of the minority party, which he acknowledged would be a challenge.  

"You have to get in there and grind it out. But I really believe that if it's a good idea, people will come to that cause, because sometimes we keep trying to hammer away at something and they're not making any progress. And you just need somebody sometimes from the minority party that will say, Have you just tried to take it this other this other direction?"

There are 285 days until the November 5, 2024 election.