New York Assemblywoman Anna Kelles (D-125th District), a former Cornell professor in nutritional science, has recently found a shift in her campaign for a third term in the state assembly with the emergence of a last minute write-in candidate, Lindsay Lustick Garner.
Garner, who grew up in Ithaca and has worked in Finger Lakes real estate since 2004, announced her write-in candidacy last Wednesday, Oct. 23, in a Facebook video. Garner contends that Kelles “does not represent our needs as a community” and expressed concerns that the Democratic Party is overlooking the priorities essential for community well-being. Garner voiced her desire to see more attention to “what we need to be healthy, successful [and] happy.”
Kelles responded to Garner’s challenge, pointing to her decade-long career in public service and prior role in local government.
“I have worked in the local government and state government,” Kelles said in an interview with The Sun. “Having the experience in local government is actually really important because my roots are embedded in the community.”
Kelles emphasized that her “very diverse and broad” background as a politician and educator serves as a key advantage when representing her community.
With a Ph.D. in nutritional epidemiology from the University of North Carolina, Kelles said she is one of only two scientists currently serving in the New York State legislature and the only epidemiologist in state government in the U.S. She said that her unique scientific background contributes to legislative discussions, noting that she brings “a science mind [that] understands data.” Her expertise, she said, provides critical insights on policies impacting public health and environmental matters.
In her interview with The Sun, Kelles reiterated her commitment to enacting policies that benefit her native Finger Lakes community. Her priorities for the upcoming term include environmental protection, criminal justice reform and affordable housing. She intends to introduce legislation that would enforce the scheduled 2025 shutdown of the Seneca Meadows landfill — the eighth-largest landfill in the country — despite attempts by its Texas-based owners to extend its operations.
Reflecting on her achievements, Kelles cited the Gap Fund — a program which gives funding to low-to-moderate income families to make necessary repairs on their homes — and the Just Energy Transition Act — an act which helps to phase out polluting fossil-fuel power plants — as major legislative accomplishments that, in her view, demonstrate her dedication to environmental protection and public safety.
Kelles also emphasizes the importance of the upcoming national elections, warning that “literally, our democracy is on the line.” She expressed alarm at what she described as authoritarian rhetoric in national political discourse.
“We have a candidate who has said, ‘You vote this one time, I win, you’ll never have to vote again,’” Kelles said. “That is the definition of a dictatorship.”
Outside of her role as an Assemblymember, Kelles cherishes moments spent with her family, especially watching performances by her husband’s community theater group, Running to Places.
When asked about her future, Kelles emphasized her focus on her current position but added “I will go wherever I can be the most effective and do the most good and serve the people I love and my community,” leaving open the possibility of future ambitions beyond her current office. But for now, Kelles remains committed to representing the 125th District.
“You’ve gotta find every single ounce of energy and dig it up and put it to good use, and … I can’t see a more noble cause than to fight for my community.”
Isabella Pazmino-Schell ’28 is a Sun contributor and can be reached at [email protected]