Asm. Marianne Buttenschon
Marianne Buttenschon, a Democrat first elected in 2019, represents AD-119, a D+3 district with a voter registration breakdown of 35.3% Democrat, 32.7% Republican, and 25.5% Independent, making her one of the chamber's more electorally exposed members. Her 2024 general election result — a 1.6-point margin over Christine Esposito — marks a sharp decline from her 12.6-point margin in 2022, and her 2026 vulnerability model places the seat at Toss-up under a favorable Republican environment, with a base lean of only D+6. The district has a median household income of $61,574, a 20.8% poverty rate, and a population that is 70.9% white, reflecting a working-class, mixed urban-suburban character in Central New York. Buttenschon's 208 sponsored bills in the 2025 session are concentrated in Penal law (18 bills), Education (14 bills), and Public Health (7 bills), with top lobbying sectors not specified in the brief; her sponsorship pattern spans criminal justice, mental hygiene, and vehicle and traffic law, suggesting a broad legislative portfolio oriented toward public safety and community services.AI
Topic Focus AI
Topics extracted by AI from floor debate speeches, joint committee hearing transcripts, and sponsored legislation. Tag size reflects number of supporting citations.
Key Issues AI
Key issue areas derived from floor debate speeches and sponsored bill law sections.
Legislative Activity (2025–2026)
Bill sponsorship from NYS Open Legislation API. Hearing appearances from joint Senate-Assembly committee transcripts. Floor debate from official Assembly session transcripts (Granicus, 2023–present).
Bill Focus Areas 2025–2026
Grouped by law section from sponsored Assembly bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation API.
Floor Speeches: In Support (46) AI
Assemblymember Slater spoke in support of the legislation, noting that Cold War veterans answered their nation's call and deserve special recognition. He stated that Cold War era veterans in his district have specifically requested this commemorative medal and that state recognition would be meaningful to many veterans.
Assemblymember Dais explained that the bill aims to ensure veterans and their families have access to needed resources and make it easier for veterans to obtain information. He also recognized a colleague currently serving in the military while serving constituents. Assemblymember Walsh expressed support but noted concerns about the Department of Veterans Services' capacity to undertake this significant effort, citing past issues with distributing tax checkoff funds to veterans' organizations.
The legislation comes from manufacturers concerned about worker safety and the importance of ensuring safety with possible mind-altering substances that workers might be using prior to work.
Floor Speeches: In Opposition AI
No recorded floor speeches in opposition found in our transcript archive for this member.
Electoral History AD-119
General Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Marianne Buttenschon 50.8% (23,337) | Christine Esposito 49.2% (22,629) | ⚡ 1.6pts |
| 2022 | Marianne Buttenschon 56.3% (19,350) | John S. Zielinski 43.7% (15,022) | 12.6pts |
| 2020 | Marianne Buttenschon 57.4% (27,434) | John S. Zielinski 42.1% (20,122) | 15.3pts |
| 2018 | Marianne Buttenschon 55.5% (20,889) | Dennis B. Bova, Jr. 44.5% (16,732) | 11.0pts |
| 2016 | Anthony J. Brindisi 100.0% (32,970) | Uncontested | — |
| 2014 | Anthony J. Brindisi 100.0% (18,920) | Uncontested | — |
| 2012 | Anthony J. Brindisi 100.0% (32,951) | Uncontested | — |
| 2010 | Sam Roberts 54.5% (19,589) | John W. Sharon 32.1% (11,562) | 22.4pts |
| 2008 | Joan K. Christensen 69.3% (35,371) | Christina Fadden Fitch 30.7% (15,639) | 38.6pts |
| 2006 | Joan K. Christensen 73.5% (28,095) | Jacques Zenner 26.5% (10,153) | 47.0pts |
| 2004 | Joan K. Christensen 68.5% (33,701) | Charles M. lavarone 31.5% (15,515) | 37.0pts |
| 2002 | Joan K. Christensen 59.4% (22,634) | William E. Sanford 40.6% (15,475) | 18.8pts |
| 2000 | Joan K. Christensen 66.3% (24,970) | Robert S. Faulkner 31.7% (11,922) | 34.6pts |
| 1998 | Joan K. Christensen 65.5% (19,445) | James G. Di Stefano 32.8% (9,750) | 32.7pts |
| 1996 | Joan K. Christensen 72.7% (26,169) | Thomas F. Auffhammer 27.3% (9,804) | 45.4pts |
Primary Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 (Republican) | Dennis B. Bova, Jr. 51.7% (992) | Frederick L. Nichols 48.3% (928) | ⚡ 3.4pts |
Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts. District history reflects 2022 redistricted boundaries.
Vulnerability Index AD-119
Base lean: D+6
- Won last contested race by only 1.5 points
Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+6). Base lean blends voter registration (40%) with recent contested general election margins (60%), using up to the last 4 general elections with margins under 40 points. Ratings: Safe D/R = 15+ pts, Likely = 8–14 pts, Lean = 3–7 pts, Toss-up = within 2 pts (Assembly districts are smaller and more homogeneous than Senate districts, so tighter thresholds are used). Generic ballot from Silver Bulletin (Nate Silver), as of 7/22/2026. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.
District 119 Profile
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024).
Voter Registration
Demographics
Commute Mode
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Race and ethnicity figures may not sum to 100% — Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity category that overlaps with racial groups.
Lobbying Activity 2023
Counts reflect bi-monthly disclosure records filed with the Ethics Commission — not individual meetings.
Top Lobbying Issues
Top Organizations Lobbying This Member
Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov. ★ Chair = lobbying issue overlaps with a committee this member chairs. ↔ Overlap = matches committee membership or bill sponsorship focus.