VoterLens
New York State Senate District 1
University at Albany—BA in Economics; Georgetown Law—JD
Data last updated 10/19/2026
Chris Murray is a partner at the Long Island-based law firm Rivkin Radler, where he has practiced environmental, civil rights, and commercial law for more than 30 years. He has represented environmental interests in litigation involving Long Island drinking water, volunteered legal expertise with the New York Civil Liberties Union, founded the Autism Legal Foundation, and has served in leadership roles including chair of the Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees and chair of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
Chris Murray supports expanding health coverage and lowering healthcare-related financial risk for New Yorkers. His campaign specifically supports the New York Health Act and describes healthcare as a human right, including an affordable or universal healthcare approach.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Murray supports the New York Health Act, which his campaign describes as creating one public health plan covering every New Yorker and funded based on ability to pay.
SourceMurray lists affordable healthcare for every New Yorker as part of his plan to lower everyday costs for Long Island families.
SourceIn the VOTE411 voter guide for New York Senate District 1, Murray states that he supports the New York Health Act so every New Yorker can avoid financial ruin from getting sick.
SourceA campaign internship posting for Chris Murray for State Senate says he is running to help working families by supporting universal healthcare, environmental protections, and democracy protections.
SourceChris Murray’s Economy & Jobs platform for New York State Senate District 1 focuses on lowering everyday costs for Long Island families, shifting more tax burden to higher earners, supporting first-time homebuyers, increasing state funding for community colleges, and using health-care reform to reduce costs for families, businesses, school districts and local governments.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Murray supports cutting the state sales tax from 4% to 3% as part of a plan to lower everyday costs for working families.
SourceMurray supports New York fulfilling its obligation to fund one-third of community-college costs, arguing that underfunding is made up through tuition.
SourceMurray said New York State can provide student aid for people who want to come to the United States to study in STEM fields, addressing workforce impacts from federal visa changes.
SourceChris Murray, the Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 1 in 2026, says New York should protect immigrant communities' due process and limit local cooperation with ICE where it undermines trust or civil liberties. He also supports targeted federal security vetting rather than broad student-visa restrictions, while saying the state should not try to override federal immigration law.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Murray says he supports state and local legislation to protect due process and keep schools, hospitals, and courthouses safe for everyone, citing harms from ICE raids on Long Island and the East End.
SourceMurray said he supports OLA of Eastern Long Island's proposed public-safety policy and shares concerns that fear in immigrant communities harms public safety and trust.
SourceAt a League of Women Voters debate, Murray was summarized as opposing local cooperation with ICE because of alleged abuses, while supporting education for children regardless of status.
SourceMurray said New York should work with Congress and other states to press for targeted security vetting instead of across-the-board limits on international students, help universities and employers navigate rule changes, and avoid trying to override federal immigration law.
SourceMurray raised concern that ICE arrests of minority citizens at polling places could prevent eligible people from voting, indicating support for protections against intimidation tied to immigration enforcement fears.
SourceChris Murray, the Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 1 in 2026, supports stronger climate and environmental protections, including cap-and-invest implementation, carbon-pollution limits, renewable-energy transition, and safeguards for Long Island’s aquifer and coastline. He also opposes hyperscale data centers on Long Island because of their water and power demands.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Murray supports implementing New York’s cap-and-invest program as a way to limit total carbon pollution and address climate change damage in New York State.
SourceMurray supports keeping New York’s environmental protections strong, moving forward with policies that reduce carbon pollution, implementing cap-and-invest, and defending safeguards when federal standards are weakened or rolled back.
SourceMurray emphasized that New York should protect gains made in moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy and highlighted the importance of renewable energy in the Senate District 1 race.
SourceMurray supports moratoria on large-scale AI data centers and says Long Island should slow or block such development because of concerns including water, power, national security, and workforce impacts.
SourceMurray’s candidate profile lists Environment / Energy as a policy area centered on protecting natural resources, linking that position to his official campaign priorities.
SourceChris Murray supports increasing education funding, especially for SUNY and other state colleges, and making higher education more affordable and accessible for New York students. He also supports science education free of political pressure, truthful vaccine instruction in health curriculum, and shifting school funding away from local property taxes toward more progressive revenue sources.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Murray states that he would fight to increase funding for SUNY and other state colleges and make higher education more affordable and accessible for New York students.
SourceIn a candidate questionnaire, Murray said public educational institutions have a duty to teach science without political pressure and that health curriculum should teach truthful information about vaccines.
SourceAt a Three Village civic forum, Murray advocated shifting away from property taxes to fund schools and supported a progressive income tax structure based on wealth.
SourceTBR News Media reported that Murray listed providing more funding for state colleges among his priorities for the State Senate seat.
SourceMurray's campaign says he would join the Senate majority and bring Long Island tax dollars back home to schools, community groups, and local projects.
SourceChris Murray frames public safety around making communities feel safe while protecting civil liberties, school safety, fair elections, and safer streets. His stated positions include stronger voter-intimidation penalties, due-process protections in sensitive locations, e-bike regulation, treatment-focused responses to addiction, and limits on cooperation with ICE until reforms occur.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Murray supports increasing state penalties for anyone who intimidates voters and giving the New York Attorney General greater authority to enforce voting-rights protections.
SourceMurray supports state and local legislation to protect due process and keep schools, hospitals, and courthouses safe for immigrant communities and other residents.
SourceAt an October 2026 Port Jefferson Civic Association forum, Murray called e-bike regulation a priority as candidates discussed public safety and transportation infrastructure.
SourceAt the same October 2026 candidates forum, Murray emphasized treatment programs and support from people with lived experience in response to mental health and addiction concerns.
SourceAt a September 2026 Three Village Civic Association forum, Murray strongly favored restricting cooperation with ICE, citing public safety and civil-liberties concerns about arrests and masked agents.
SourceChris Murray for State Senate - About
https://chrismurrayforstatesenate.com/about/Fetched: biography, professional background
Chris Murray for State Senate - Home
https://chrismurrayforstatesenate.com/Fetched: location, biography
VOTE411 Voter Guide - Chris Murray
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/candidate-detail.do?id=73189061Fetched: education, professional background
Shelter Island Reporter - Candidate Profiles: Murray campaigns for Senate seat
https://shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com/2026/10/19/candidate-profiles-murray-campaigns-for-senate-seat/Fetched: location, biography
Transparency USA - New York State Senate District 1 Election
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/race/new-york-state-senate-district-1-74446Fetched: campaignFinance
Who Runs NY - Suffolk County Candidates and Campaign Finance 2026
https://whorunsny.org/suffolkFetched: campaignFinance
Who Runs NY - New York Campaign Contributions and Spending 2026
https://whorunsny.org/money?county=suffolkFetched: campaignFinance
Blue Voter Guide - New York State Senate District 1 with Endorsements
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Senate_District_1/51791/830Fetched: endorsements
Blue Voter Guide - Gun Sense Voter New York Endorsements
https://bluevoterguide.org/endorser-org/Gun_Sense_Voter/NY/4895Fetched: endorsements
Blue Voter Guide - New York Working Families Party Endorsements
https://bluevoterguide.org/endorser-org/New_York_Working_Families_Party/NY/8651Fetched: endorsements
VOTE411 Voter Guide - New York Senate District 1
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/race-detail.do?id=4034651Fetched: endorsements
BallotReady - E. "Chris" Christopher Murray
https://www.ballotready.org/people/e-christopher-murrayFetched: identity
Chris Murray for State Senate
https://chrismurrayforstatesenate.com/priorities/Fetched: issuePositions
Indeed
https://www.indeed.com/q-campaign-intern-l-massapequa-pk%2C-ny-jobs.htmlFetched: issuePositions
Riverhead News-Review
https://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2026/10/138800/chris-murray-challenges-palumbo-with-affordability-health-care-focus/Fetched: issuePositions
The Suffolk Times
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2026/10/chris-murray-challenges-palumbo-with-affordability-health-care-focus/Fetched: issuePositions
LongIsland-NY.com
https://www.longisland-ny.com/2026/10/17/chris-murray-challenges-palumbo-with-affordability-health-care-focus/Fetched: issuePositions
Scientist Network for Advancing Policy
https://snapcoalition.org/initiatives/stance-on-science/candidates/ny/chris-murrayFetched: issuePositions
Riverhead News Review
https://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2026/10/138800/chris-murray-challenges-palumbo-with-affordability-health-care-focus/Fetched: issuePositions
TBR News Media
https://tbrnewsmedia.com/category/government/new-york-state-government/Fetched: issuePositions
WSHU
https://www.wshu.org/long-island-news/2026-09-30/ny-senate-district-1-ice-affordability-water-qualityFetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/race-detail.do?id=4034651Fetched: issuePositions
Chris Murray for State Senate - Priorities
https://chrismurrayforstatesenate.com/priorities/Fetched: issuePositions
Scientist Network for Advancing Policy - Chris Murray
https://snapcoalition.org/initiatives/stance-on-science/candidates/ny/chris-murrayFetched: issuePositions
TBR News Media - Senate District 1 candidates
https://tbrnewsmedia.com/tag/senate-district-1-candidates/Fetched: issuePositions
TBR News Media - New York's 1st Senate District
https://tbrnewsmedia.com/tag/new-yorks-1st-senate-district/Fetched: issuePositions
Chris Murray for State Senate priorities
https://chrismurrayforstatesenate.com/priorities/Fetched: issuePositions
Chris Murray for State Senate campaign website
https://chrismurrayforstatesenate.com/Fetched: issuePositions
TBR News Media - New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo tag
https://tbrnewsmedia.com/tag/new-york-state-senator-anthony-palumbo/Fetched: issuePositions
TBR News Media - New York State Government
https://tbrnewsmedia.com/category/new-york-state-government/Fetched: issuePositions