Meet Yvette Valdes Smith, the Democrat trying to flip NY State Senate District 39

Yvette Valdes Smith knows firsthand how spiraling housing costs have made Beacon unaffordable to many. Yvette and her husband rented in Beacon for years, but moved to Fishkill when they realized they couldn't afford to buy a home here. 

“Housing is a huge issue. It’s going to require us not being NIMBY about things. We have to increase housing stock," she tells Beaconites.

Raised in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, Yvette went to college in New York, became a public school teacher and started a family before winning a seat on the Dutchess County Legislature, where she is Minority Leader in the Republican controlled body. Now she’s running for NY State Senate District 39, which encompasses Beacon along with parts of Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties. 

In addition to housing affordability, her campaign is focused on issues like abortion rights, gender-affirming care, gun safety. She's especialy passionate about creating more resources for young people. 

“We need more youth services,” she says. “I’m a mom. I’ve experienced the lack of childcare in this county. I’ve experienced youth programs closing or not being available. Think about summer camps, how they’ll go online and they’ll be gone in three seconds.” 

But winning won’t be easy. The current State Senator in the seat she’s running for, Republican Rob Rolison, is a seasoned pol who won the spot by about 7,000 votes two years ago. In this episode, she talks about what it will take to beat him – including lots and lots of canvassing in purple and red areas of the district.