McGrath vs. Kaminsky for 9th Senate District, round two

The battle for the 9th Senate District will be a rematch of incumbent State Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) and Hewlett Harbor resident Christopher McGrath, who faced off a month ago in a special election for the seat vacated by Dean Skelos following his conviction on federal corruption charges.Kaminsky is completing Skelos’s unexpired two-year term.

McGrath, 57, was one of several candidates who were announced at the Nassau County Republican Committee’s convention in Levittown, Thursday.

“I am running for the same reasons as in the last election, for the families and the children of the district,” said McGrath, an Inwood native. “Nothing has been done after Hurricane Sandy to improve our infrastructure and taxpayers are not getting the services they deserve for the amount of taxes they pay.”

McGrath said he continues to believe in term limits. He wants to see four two-year terms instituted, along with convicted legislators forfeiting their pensions as a way to battle the corruption that has become synonymous with Albany.

Kaminsky, 39, who ran about 16 months into his first two-year term in the Assembly, narrowly defeated McGrath on April 19. Kaminsky was sworn into office as a state senator May 3. McGrath, a personal injury lawyer who grew up in Inwood, lost to Kaminsky by 886 votes.

“Albany desperately needs reform and it needs it now. I'm fighting to fix outdated campaign finance laws, ban convicted politicians from getting their pensions because our community is fed up with being taken for granted, and end the reign of common core in our classrooms,” Kaminsky said. “That was my pledge during this Spring's campaign and I won't let corrupt special interests get in the way of putting tax payers first."

More than $7.1 million was spent during the special election campaign between McGrath and Kaminsky, and its possible that just as much, if not more money, could be spent between now and Nov. 8.