Wednesday, October 28, 2026
State Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz is seeking to bring his legislative priorities to the New York State Senate, arguing that Long Island needs stronger representation in Albany on affordability, education and public safety.
Blumencranz, a Republican from Oyster Bay who is running for the 7th State Senate District, said his four years in the Assembly have prepared him to push for changes in a chamber he believes has overlooked the North Shore.
“I think it's really important that we amplify our message,” Blumencranz said during a roundtable interview. “To be able to take that fight to the Senate, where we have a real chance of bringing balance back to government, of bringing real ideas and solutions to the table in a house where we have an opportunity to make a change for Long Islanders, I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that.”
Blumencranz, 30, who attended Rice University and previously worked in his family's fourth-generation insurance business, identified education, affordability and public safety as three leading concerns among voters.
On education, he cited his opposition to state efforts to change how school districts operate, including regionalization proposals. He also raised concerns about changing graduation requirements and the role of academic merit.
As ranking member of the Assembly's science and technology committee, Blumencranz said he has sought to help schools navigate artificial intelligence through a program funded by a grant through Nassau BOCES. The initiative would connect educators with AI service providers and offer tools through a pilot program accessible to school districts.
Affordability is another central issue for the candidate, who pointed to energy costs, taxes and insurance premiums. He criticized state climate mandates that he said could increase infrastructure expenses and called for tax cuts and efforts to combat insurance fraud.
Blumencranz said housing affordability also requires attention to the supply of available homes.
“I think that the housing ecosystem, the transit ecosystem, needs to change, and I think it needs to change fundamentally,” he said. “But I think primarily supply-side issues in housing is both where the solution lies and where the problem lies.”
Public safety, meanwhile, remains a priority for Blumencranz, who supports legislation addressing technology used in home invasions and the creation of a regulatory framework for automatic license plate readers.
He said lawmakers must balance assisting police with protecting civil liberties. He also cited his Child Safety AI Act, which criminalized the use of deepfake imagery of children in New York.
Blumencranz also addressed the Propel NY Energy project, which has drawn opposition from North Shore residents and local officials. He said state lawmakers should restore local control over decisions affecting communities, including Glen Cove and Sea Cliff, where he cited concerns about the area's limited road access.
“Defending and supporting that is something I would continue to do in the Senate,” he said.
Environmental protection is another issue he said he would pursue, proposing an Office of Blue Economy within the state Department of Environmental Conservation to coordinate municipal efforts involving aquaculture and shellfish restoration. He also supports a more cooperative approach to environmental remediation involving state, federal and local governments.
Blumencranz said he wants to bring a more bipartisan approach to Albany and give Long Island a greater voice in state decisions.
“I am fighting to make sure we can bring back that balance that once existed in the Senate,” he said. “Right now, all too often, we're being left out of the conversation because the city gets to dictate what happens in the current makeup of our state government.”
