Tompkins County Legislator Deborah Dawson is back in the race after previously planning to retire, according to The Ithaca Voice.
Dawson, who didn’t file in time for the November ballot, is now running a self-funded write-in campaign for District 7. She says her decision was sparked by local budget pressures, federal policy shifts under Trump, and a wave of legislative turnover.
Her opponent, Democrat John Dennis, ran unopposed in the primary and still has party support. Dawson, citing experience and fiscal pragmatism, says she’s stepping up to help guide the county through what she calls a “perfect storm” of challenges.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].