Democrat Michele Frazier announced Monday, Aug. 25 her intention to run for state Senate again in 2026 to represent District 51, which includes Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie and Sullivan counties and parts of Broome, Chenango and Ulster counties.
The current District 51 officeholder State Sen. Peter Oberacker, a Republican, told WBNG on Friday that he was “exploring the idea” of a run for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 19 — the seat currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Josh Riley, who was elected in 2024 after edging out Republican incumbent Marc Molinaro.
Oberacker didn’t return requests for comment Friday or Monday.
Frazier, who lives in Delhi and challenged Oberacker for his seat in 2024, is a former Oneonta Common Council member. She grew up in Oneonta where her family owned and operated a greenhouse company for more than 35 years, according to a news release.
“The people of rural New York deserve better than career politicians chasing titles and favors,” Frazier said in a statement. “They need a representative who listens, fights for them, and puts everyday people ahead of politics, ambition, and the insiders who’ve failed us for too long. When I see a problem, I don’t wait around, I fight to fix it. Right now, our state and our country are being sold out: billionaires get handouts, families can’t afford a home, and rural hospitals are closing their doors. I’m ready to take on these rigged systems and get to work for the people on day one.”
Frazier, who raised nearly $500,000 when she ran in 2024, starts the cycle with almost $20,000 cash on hand, the release stated. Frazier received endorsements in 2024 from the Working Families Party, the New York State Public Employees Union, UAW, Planned Parenthood, SEIU, New York State Nurses Association and others.
Frazier is a local realtor and teaches political science to college students. She also is the parent of two neurodivergent children. Her legislative priorities include addressing the housing crisis so rural New York can be a place where people can afford to live, work and raise a family, making sure rural communities have access to quality, reliable health care, increasing access to affordable quality childcare so parents who want to work can work, and expanding crisis services to better address mental health needs, freeing up our police and first responders in order to make our communities safer, the release stated.