Sen. Jake Ashby
Jake Ashby is a Republican state senator representing Senate District 43, a D+8 district in New York, first elected in 2023. In the 2025 session, he sponsored 112 bills with a primary focus on education, tax, and public health, and cast 1,443 votes while aligning with the Republican caucus 91.1% of the time. His legislative activity and hearing engagement reflect particular attention to veterans' services, nursing home Medicaid funding, aging infrastructure, and fiscal oversight of state agency programs.AI
Topic Focus AI
Topics extracted by AI from floor speeches, committee hearing transcripts, and sponsored legislation. Bill and hearing citations link to source records for verification. Tag size reflects number of supporting citations.
Key Issues
From committee hearings, floor debate, and bill sponsorship.
Legislative Activity (2025–2026)
Based on complete Senate roll call records.
Bill Outcomes 2025 Session
Covers Senate-sponsored bills only. Status from Open Legislation API.
Committee Assignments
Electoral History SD-43
General Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jake Ashby 54.6% (81,727) | Alvin Gamble 45.4% (67,824) | ⚡ 9.3pts |
| 2022 | Jacob C. Ashby 52.9% (62,769) | Andrea Smyth 47.1% (55,935) | ⚡ 5.8pts |
| 2020 | Daphne V. Jordan 52.7% (86,146) | Patrick F. Nelson 47.3% (77,425) | ⚡ 5.3pts |
| 2018 | Daphne V. Jordan 53.1% (67,377) | Aaron W. Gladd 46.9% (59,615) | ⚡ 6.1pts |
| 2016 | Kathleen A. Marchione 61.2% (85,057) | Shaun P. Francis 36.4% (50,660) | 24.7pts |
| 2014 | Kathleen A. Marchione 64.4% (59,394) | Brian F. Howard 35.6% (32,901) | 28.7pts |
| 2012 | Kathleen A. Marchione 47.2% (60,856) | Robin Andrews 36.5% (47,022) | 10.7pts |
| 2010 | Roy J. McDonald 58.2% (64,811) | Joanne D. Yepsen 41.8% (46,542) | 16.4pts |
| 2008 | Roy J. McDonald 59.0% (82,211) | Michael А. Russo 39.2% (54,582) | 19.8pts |
| 2006 | Joseph L. Bruno 100.0% (70,156) | Uncontested | — |
| 2004 | Joseph L. Bruno 100.0% (95,877) | Uncontested | — |
| 2002 | Joseph L. Bruno 100.0% (76,036) | Uncontested | — |
| 2000 | Joseph L. Bruno 100.0% (96,368) | Uncontested | — |
| 1998 | Joseph L. Bruno 100.0% (72,499) | Uncontested | — |
| 1996 | Joseph L. Bruno 58.4% (72,365) | Ginny O'Brien 41.6% (51,455) | 16.9pts |
Primary Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 (Republican) | Kathleen A. Marchione 50.3% (7,339) | Roy J. McDonald 49.7% (7,240) | ⚡ 0.7pts |
| 2012 (Conservative) | Kathleen A. Marchione 62.4% (580) | Edward J. Gilbert 37.6% (350) | 24.7pts |
| 2008 (Republican) | Roy J. McDonald 87.6% (9,536) | Raymond J. Seney 12.4% (1,347) | 75.2pts |
| 2008 (Democratic) | Michael A. Russo 66.2% (5,899) | Brian D. Premo 33.8% (3,017) | 32.3pts |
| 2008 (Working Families) | Christopher N. Consuello 59.9% (124) | Brian D. Premo 40.1% (83) | 19.8pts |
Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts.
Vulnerability Index SD-43
Base lean: D+0
- Recently competitive (margin < 10pts)
Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+0). 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 = 20+ pts, Likely = 10–19 pts, Lean = 4–9 pts, Toss-up = within 3 pts. "Generic ballot" refers to national partisan polling used to model favorable/unfavorable cycle environments. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.
Top Co-Sponsors
District 43 Profile
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Voter registration: NYS Board of Elections (Nov. 2025).
Voter Registration
Campaign Finance (2022–2026)
Top Donors
Source: NYS Board of Elections via data.ny.gov. Itemized monetary contributions only. ↔ Bills = donor industry aligns with bill sponsorship focus area.
Data through 2026-03-28.
Lobbying Activity 2024
Top Lobbying Issues
Top Organizations Lobbying This Senator
Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov. Counts reflect bi-monthly disclosure records filed with the Ethics Commission — not individual meetings. ★ Chair = lobbying issue overlaps with a committee this senator chairs. ↔ Overlap = matches committee membership or bill sponsorship focus.
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.
Voting Record
Dissenting Votes by Topic
28 additional dissenting votes across other topics
From 1,443 recorded floor votes via OpenLeg API. Dissenting votes grouped by law section to reveal policy patterns.
Votes through 2026-02-10.
Floor Speeches: In Support (11) AI
Noted that Father Young celebrated his wedding and he worked for him for several years, describing him as an incredible leader who leaves behind a great legacy.
Thanked the sponsor for bringing the bill to the floor and expressed hope that the Senate would recognize its responsibility in providing pre-cancer screenings for all volunteer firefighters.
Thanked colleagues for continuing to push the legislation despite a previous gubernatorial veto. Noted the bill would be the first of its kind in the nation and praised it as an opportunity for New York to lead on an often divisive issue.
Advocated for the Staff Sergeant Alex Jimenez Family Legacy Program, noting it passed both houses unanimously and would provide services to undocumented family members of servicemembers through a federal Parole in Place program, calling it a bipartisan immigration issue worthy of leadership support.
While supporting the resolution and extender, Sen. Ashby noted the bill extends funding for the Homeless Veterans Pilot Program but raised concerns that tax checkoffs for veterans' programs—including veterans remembrance, cemetery maintenance, homeless veterans assistance, Veterans Home Assistance Fund, and military family relief—totaling $3.4 million have not been paid out in six years.
Floor Speeches: In Opposition (13) AI
Warned that material transaction regulations with a 180-day delay could force healthcare facility closures in rural areas, driving patients to more expensive hospital settings and increasing Medicaid costs.
Voted in opposition to the measure.
Questioned why the bill completely bans biomedical harvesting when horseshoe crab blood is essential for developing vaccines and medical therapies, including COVID-19 vaccines. Argued a moratorium or numerical limit would be more appropriate than an outright ban and suggested a carveout for biomedical purposes.
Questioned lack of required in-person physician visits, absence of mandatory mental health evaluations, and expressed concern about expansion of the bill over time citing changes in administration methods in other states.
Criticized Part L for lacking clear definitions on AI-generated images and for missing an opportunity to require age verification on adult websites. Noted 20 other states have implemented age verification requirements.
Committee Hearing Engagement (22) AI
| Date | Committee | Engagement | Stance | Focus Areas | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-12 | FINANCE | low | unclear | Sen. Ashby was acknowledged by Director Olsen during opening remarks but no questions or engagement recorded in transcript. | |
| 2025-02-12 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Tax checkoff fund disbursement delays Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund utilization Appropriation requirements and legal obligations Federal grant opportunities for DVS Website quality and veteran outreach effectiveness Staff increases and departmental capacity | Sen. Ashby was highly critical of DVS's slow disbursement of tax checkoff funds that have existed for seven years, questioning why appropriations are needed and why the department has not released all available funds. He challenged the department's claim that programs were still being developed and expressed frustration with lack of communication since July. He also questioned the effectiveness of current outreach efforts, citing a 17 percent veteran access rate. |
| 2025-02-12 | FINANCE | moderate | skeptical | Master Plan for Aging Legislative coordination County preparedness | Sen. Ashby questioned why the Legislature was excluded from the Master Plan for Aging process and asked what the Legislature could do to prepare for its implementation. He expressed concern about unfunded mandates and the capacity of the aging services network. |
| 2025-02-11 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Nursing home Medicaid rate rebasing Nursing home closures Rate-setting methodology | Sen. Ashby pressed the administration on why nursing home Medicaid rates have not been rebased since 2007, noting that other states rebase every three years and that nursing homes are closing. She questioned whether phased rebasing could provide more sustainable funding than annual increases. |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | low | neutral | Drug courts Wheelchair repair | Sen. Ashby asked about drug court enrollment and wheelchair repair processes. |
| 2024-02-13 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | Veterans services and Dwyer program funding Peer-to-peer services expansion PTSD research and treatment programs | Sen. Ashby expressed concern about potential cuts to veterans' services and sought assurance about Dwyer program funding. She advocated for expansion of peer-to-peer services and inquired about Dr. Bourke's RTM research for PTSD treatment. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | departmental budget cuts staff augmentation since elevation to department status federal funding partnerships undisbursed funds to nursing homes and burial services | Sen. Ashby directly challenged Commissioner DeCohen on the $2.4 million budget cut, questioning what programs would be cut and why the department hasn't seen budget augmentation despite elevation to department status in 2022. He pointed out the $3 million in neglected disbursements to veterans nursing homes and burial services over six years. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | low | unclear | Veterans nursing homes legislation | Sen. Ashby was mentioned by Assemblyman Manktelow as having legislation regarding senior/veterans nursing homes but did not directly testify in the provided transcript. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | Peer-to-peer support programs in nursing homes Staff mental health programs Family caregiver support models | Sen. Ashby asked targeted questions about peer-to-peer programs and staff mental health initiatives, showing interest in innovative support models. She appeared supportive of the family council and peer-support approaches described by witnesses. |
| 2024-01-23 | FINANCE | low | unclear | Sen. Ashby was mentioned as the newest committee member but did not ask questions during the hearing. | |
| 2024-01-23 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Burdett Birth Center closure Maternity deserts Nursing home closures and Medicaid cuts | Sen. Ashby pressed Commissioner McDonald on whether a full regulatory review should be conducted for the Burdett Birth Center given Trinity Health's premature closure actions and alleged falsehoods in the closure plan. She also questioned whether the closure would negatively impact maternal and newborn health, and asked about anticipated nursing home closures from Medicaid cuts. |
| 2024-01-23 | FINANCE | moderate | neutral | Nursing home rate rebasing Long-term cost reduction strategies Comparison to other states' rebasing practices | Sen. Ashby asked about rebasing as a longer-term solution to annual funding fights, exploring whether rebasing could potentially save money. Clyne explained that rebasing alone without new money would only redistribute existing funds and that New York hasn't rebased since 2007, unlike most states which rebase every 2-3 years. |
| 2023-02-28 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | eFMAP funds distribution to local governments Psychiatric beds under Article 28 Site of service review policy rationale County exclusion from eFMAP funding | Sen. Ashby questioned the rationale for several budget proposals, particularly the site of service review policy and the exclusion of counties from eFMAP funding. She expressed concern that counties are being excluded from federal COVID relief funds and requested data supporting the site of service diversion policy. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | moderate | neutral | Family-type adult homes Hospice waiver policy gaps Aging in place | Sen. Ashby raised a specific constituent concern about gaps in hospice care for elderly residents of family-type adult homes, noting the request has been pending for over a year and expressing urgency about people suffering from the policy gap. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Federal funding opportunities for new department Dwyer program permanent funding Comparative funding analysis with other states Suicide prevention programs | Sen. Ashby expressed skepticism about the adequacy of the Governor's support for the newly elevated veterans department, noting the lack of funding and effort. He pressed Director DeCohen on specific programs and federal dollars, and criticized the modest increase in Dwyer funding as insufficient, comparing New York's $30 million in veterans funding unfavorably to New Jersey's $104 million and Massachusetts' $97 million. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | high | supportive | Growth of Dwyer program participation Adequacy of budget increase relative to program growth Opportunity to make Dwyer a permanent budget line item Elevation of DVS to agency status | Sen. Ashby expressed strong support for expanding Dwyer funding and suggested the elevation of DVS to agency status creates an opportunity to make the program permanent in the budget rather than relying on annual appropriations. |
| 2023-02-07 | FINANCE | high | supportive | volunteer firefighter recruitment funding emotional resilience workshops effectiveness peer-to-peer support for first responders burnout and suicide reduction metrics | Sen. Ashby expressed strong support for volunteer firefighter initiatives and questioned the adequacy of $10 million in recruitment funding given that 76 percent reported crisis-level issues. He engaged constructively on measuring workshop effectiveness and suggested peer-to-peer support models from the veterans sector. |
| 2023-02-07 | FINANCE | high | supportive | volunteer firefighter crisis emotional resilience workshops peer-to-peer support for first responders burnout and suicide reduction | Sen. Ashby engaged substantively on first responder mental health and the volunteer firefighter crisis. He questioned the effectiveness of emotional resilience workshops and suggested peer-to-peer support models from the veterans community as a potential solution. Commissioner Bray responded positively, noting the recent hire of deputy state fire administrator Luci Labriola-Cuffe specifically for peer-to-peer network expertise. |
| 2023-02-07 | FINANCE | moderate | skeptical | Volunteer firefighter training stipend program Distribution of stipend funding Cost per firefighter | Sen. Ashby questioned whether the $10 million volunteer firefighter training stipend was adequately funded, noting that the math suggested roughly $6,000 per department for 1,600 volunteer firefighters, which he characterized as underfunded. |
| 2023-02-07 | FINANCE | high | supportive | volunteer firefighter crisis emotional resilience workshops burnout and suicide prevention peer-to-peer support programs | Sen. Ashby engaged substantively on volunteer firefighter issues, expressing concern about the 76 percent reporting a crisis and advocating for peer-to-peer support models similar to veteran programs. He appeared supportive of the administration's efforts while pushing for more robust solutions. |
| 2023-02-07 | FINANCE | moderate | skeptical | Volunteer firefighter training stipend program Distribution and funding of stipend program Cost per firefighter | Sen. Ashby questioned whether the $10 million volunteer firefighter training stipend was adequately funded, calculating that it would amount to roughly $6,000 per department and suggesting the program appeared underfunded relative to the number of volunteer firefighters. |
| 2023-02-07 | FINANCE | high | supportive | volunteer firefighter recruiting funding emotional resilience workshops effectiveness peer-to-peer support for first responders burnout and suicide reduction metrics | Sen. Ashby expressed support for volunteer firefighter initiatives and questioned the effectiveness of emotional resilience workshops. He suggested peer-to-peer support models from the veterans sector as a potential approach and appeared satisfied with the Commissioner's responses. |
Floor Amendments (2)
| Date | Bill | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-18 | S8308C | Amendment to provide ratepayers a tax credit to offset energy bill increases from the bill's energy tax provisions | ruled nongermane and defeated on appeal (19 ayes to overturn chair ruling) |
| 2023-05-22 | A836 | Would restore police officers, firefighters, and correction officers to the universe of employees protected under the bill, restoring the bill to its previous version passed in March | ruled nongermane and out of order; appeal defeated |