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Leading up to next Tuesday's Republican primary, the race to fill NYS Senator Mike Nozzolio's 54th District Senate seat heated up this week when opponents accused the Pam Helming campaign of arguing in a campaign mailer that first responders who receive a pension should not run for public office because they would also receive a state salary if elected.  Candidates Floyd Rayburn and Jon Ritter, a retired Greece police officer, were quick to condemn Helming.

"I am deeply concerned and disappointed that Ms. Helming would imply that an entire segment of our population, who have dedicated their lives to public service, should be disqualified from running for state office," Ritter said Tuesday.  "It is a clear indicator, that as the "establishment" candidate, she will continue the detrimental politics as usual that has created a devastated upstate economy, loss of jobs, loss of businesses and population for our district.  Her assertion would exclude an entire population of public servants to include law enforcement and military retirees."

Rayburn accused Helming, who received an endorsement from the Police Conference of New York lst month, of alienating demographics across the district, accusing her of getting a combat veteran kicked off the ballot earlier in the campaign.

"This attack again shows how out of step Albany is with the values of Upstate NY.  It was her first decision in this race, to side with Albany and downstate interests and make their policies, which hurt upstate, her own.  The establishment in New York is broken and this is just more proof of that.   We need a break from Albany insiders that brought us the SAFE Act, more job crushing taxes and regulations and out of control spending," said Rayburn.

Ritter said he disagrees with Helming's negative campaign tactics and personal attacks on all the candidates.

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