Abinanti’s Anti-Vaccination Stance the Key Issue and Reason for Prominent Democratic Challenge
By Dan Murphy
It is very rare when Westchester democrats face off against each other in a democratic primary. But the announcement by County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky that she will challenge Assemblyman Tom Abinanti in a democratic primary for his seat in the 92nd District, (Greenburgh and Mt. Pleasant) is big political news and will be the most talked about political item over the holidays.
Why is Shimsky running against Abinanti? Several democrats we spoke to said that Abinanti’s anti-vaccination stances during COVID have become “untenable”
“Tom has been against vaccinations for many years even before COVID, but now, in the middle of a pandemic, many Westchester democrats have come to the conclusion that 94% of Westchester residents who have been vaccinated believe: We have to trust the science in order to move forward,” said one Westchester democrat.
When Abinanti’s anti-vax stances are combined with the respect and admiration that Shimsky has built in her career, and you have what will be a very interesting primary in June 2022.
“I am excited to announce my candidacy for State Assembly. As we continue to battle the resurgent pandemic, we need progressive, proactive leadership to advocate and deliver for us, and I believe I have the experience and commitment to be that voice in Albany. From infrastructure to public health to resiliency, I have secured major wins at the local level by building coalitions, working with my colleagues, and following the facts and science. I’m eager to get to work in the Assembly,” said Shimsky, who was first elected to the county board in Westchester in 2011.
“We deserve an Assemblymember who believes in our progressive values, stands up for immigrants and tenants, supports and believes scientists, leads with transparency, and works collaboratively with other leaders and organizations to ensure a complete recovery from the pandemic and put our communities on the best path forward. I’m running for Assembly to be that leader and I look forward to talking with residents about my vision,” said Shimsky, who currently serves as the Majority Leader on the county board and who earned her law degree from New York University School of Law and her PhD in History from the City University of New York.
Two years ago, Abinanti faced a challenge from democrat Jen Williams in the democratic primary. Running in the middle of a pandemic, Williams gave Abinanti all he could handle, almost beating the five- time incumbent 55%-45%.
Williams strong showing was with no support from anyone in the Westchester democratic party. Several published media reports have failed to mention that Abinanti did have a challenger in 2020, and Williams did discuss the importance of vaccinations during that campaign, which was concluded before a COVID vaccine was available.
Another Westchester democrat told us, “the fact that MaryJane has stepped forward to challenge Tom is a sign that many members of the establishment wing of the Westchester democratic party believe that its time for Tom to go.”
