(Submitted Photo)

NEW YORK STATE - A Lafayette man is in the race for the 126 Assembly District seat, and his campaign includes promises of representing Upstate New York and its values despite potential opposition from party line politicians.

John Lemondes is the potential candidate for the 126 Assembly District, and in an interview Lemondes said he hopes to bring more than 30 years of leadership, with a background in business, farming, and military to the assembly floor.

“I want people to know their voice matters and I know how to listen to it,” said Lemondes. “I’ve got the backbone to carry through with what people want.”

“I’m not afraid to put something forward and doggedly go after it.”

Lemondes said he was born and raised in Liverpool, which is located in Onondaga County. He said after spending 27 years in the military, he returned to Lafayette in New York State to settle a farming business and improve the area for his children.