CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. -- “We have a great system. And I just love working it. And I'll work it until there's no fight left,” said Paul Tonko, a longtime politician.

Paul Tonko has been part of the state political system for about a quarter century. Most notably, the former engineer was the 105th District's Assemblyman from 1983 until last June. Then he became President and CEO of NYSERDA until deciding to run for Congress because, as he said, there are still plenty of fights to finish.

Tonko said all of his experience in politics has given him the training necessary to go the distance on Capitol Hill.

“The familiarity and the understanding and awareness of some of the struggles, some of the solutions out there, in a very personalized way is a value added,” said Tonko.

Tonko's priorities include creating and keeping jobs in the Capital Region, modernizing manufacturing centers, creating a comprehensive energy policy to improve efficiency, and growing a green economy and workforce. To do it, Tonko said he plans to invest $100 billion in research and development over a 10-year period.

“We deal with renewable. We deal with alternative technologies. We deal with transmission upgrades,” said Tonko.

Tonko said the economy could use an upgrade as well, including more regulation and oversight of the financial system to prevent the need for future bailouts.

“When you don't do that, you have a crumbling infrastructure a crumbling economy, a mega-industry that impacts unfavorably on businesses of all sizes,” said the Democrat.

Tonko also supports an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, full marriage equality for gay couples, a woman's right to choose, and single-payer national health insurance.

“I do not believe the federal government can run a huge entitlement program like that efficiently. I think what we need to do is work with the system we have right now to make it better,” said Jim Buhrmaster.

That's just one of the differences between Tonko and his Republican opponent, Jim Buhrmaster.
Buhrmaster opposes the single payer plan because he said it would take jobs away from about 7,000 people in the Capital Region and dissolve the successful Medicare Advantage program.

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Buhrmaster said he’s also different because even though he's currently a Schenectady County Legislator, he said he's not a career politician. Buhrmaster spent most of his 40-year career working in his family's heating and cooling business but decided to run because he says the current system is stale.

“And I see us mortgaging my children's future and my grandchildren's future. And I really think it's time for a change,” said Buhrmaster.

Change he said that starts with shrinking the size of government and getting rid of programs the country can do without.

“Ultimately, if you do that, you can start looking at decreasing taxes. But you can't do it until you start to address the size of government and all of the spending we do in which we have to curtail,” said the Republican.

Buhrmaster also favors investments in renewable and alternative energy including efforts to develop solar, wind, and nuclear energy, and favors domestic drilling.

“Instead of exporting our money and importing our oil, let's export some of our oil and start using it domestically. We can do it. And that gives jobs, that helps our economy,” said Buhrmaster.

Buhrmaster also said the economy will be boosted by getting rid of some of the regulations on small businesses, and by developing the Capital Region's current infrastructure to create jobs. Unlike Tonko, Buhrmaster said the U.S. should stay the course in Iraq and he doesn't support gay marriage but said life partners should get some benefits. He does support a woman's right to choose and believes there should be term limits for Congressional representatives.

Limits or not, this time around one of these men will replace a popular, long standing member of the House who's going out on his own terms.