VoterLens
New York State Senate District 58
Data last updated 10/21/2026
James Bobreski is the Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 58 in the 2026 election. He is described as having a high-tech background, including work in energy for the coal, oil, gas, and nuclear industries, and as a process control engineer developing robotics for agriculture; he is also a farmer and has written about alternate energy.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
James Bobreski supports protecting health programs and expanding access to care, including a stated priority of ensuring universal health care. He also frames clean water, landfill/toxic-runoff oversight, and public health access as linked healthcare/public-health priorities for New York State Senate District 58.
Specific Actions & Proposals
In the VOTE411 guide for New York Senate District 58, Bobreski listed "ensuring universal health care" among common-citizen protections he would prioritize if elected.
SourceOn his campaign website, Bobreski says public health access must remain a priority because healthy communities depend on both a clean environment and access to care.
SourceBobreski states that elected officials should defend New Yorkers when federal power is used in ways that threaten health programs or public health priorities.
SourceJames Bobreski emphasizes an economy-and-jobs agenda tied to practical clean energy, protecting family farms, fair competition for local producers, labor rights, STEM/trades education, and affordability for ratepayers. He argues that solar, wind, geothermal, storage, grid upgrades, and efficiency can create local jobs faster and at lower cost than new nuclear expansion while protecting farmland and local decision-making.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Bobreski supports growth in solar, wind, geothermal, storage, efficiency, and grid upgrades, saying a practical clean-energy buildout offers more local jobs, faster deployment, and lower projected costs than new nuclear expansion.
SourceBobreski says family farms face rising fuel, fertilizer, labor, and equipment costs and supports protecting farmland, fair competition, reasonable regulations, and policies that help local producers remain competitive and profitable.
SourceBobreski supports labor rights and STEM and trade education, framing workforce development and worker protections as part of his campaign agenda for the 58th Senate District.
SourceIn an op-ed, Bobreski argues that energy affordability requires accurate cost analysis and notes NYSERDA estimates that electric school buses may save districts fuel and maintenance costs compared with diesel or gasoline buses.
SourceBobreski challenged criticism of solar development and argued that renewable-energy concerns should be weighed against the environmental and economic effects of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power.
SourceJames Bobreski frames immigration primarily as a civil-rights and federal-overreach issue, criticizing "invasive ICE forces," opposing discriminatory or weaponized immigration enforcement, and calling for immigration worker protection. He has not held a legislative seat, so no immigration-related roll-call votes or bill sponsorships were found.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Bobreski says New York must deal with federal encroachment on states' rights "such as we see with ICE" and criticizes "invasive ICE forces" as part of his campaign rationale.
SourceBobreski states that elected officials should defend constituents when immigration enforcement or other federal actions are discriminatory, politically weaponized, or harmful to local communities.
SourceIn the VOTE411 guide, Bobreski lists "States Rights: ICE and EO interference" as a top priority and says New York should enforce its Tenth Amendment rights.
SourceBobreski identifies "immigration worker protection" among common citizen protections he would pursue, alongside universal health care, fair wages, and support for farmers.
SourceA report on Bobreski's campaign says he criticized Trump Administration policies including "overreaching immigration policies" and linked them to his challenge in New York Senate District 58.
SourceJames Bobreski supports a practical clean-energy agenda for New York Senate District 58 centered on solar, wind, geothermal, storage, efficiency, and grid upgrades while protecting ratepayers, farmland, scenic resources, and local decision-making. He supports existing licensed nuclear plants continuing safely but opposes making new nuclear expansion the centerpiece of New York's energy future, and he emphasizes climate adaptation, clean water, landfill oversight, and toxic-runoff accountability.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Bobreski states that he supports practical growth in solar, wind, geothermal, storage, and efficiency, along with grid upgrades to keep power dependable and costs under control.
SourceIn the VOTE411 guide for New York Senate District 58, Bobreski lists energy as a top priority and identifies solar, wind, and geothermal with natural gas as a bridge fuel for intermittency.
SourceBobreski says existing nuclear plants may operate safely while licensed and responsibly managed, but he does not support making new nuclear expansion the centerpiece of New York's energy future.
SourceBobreski says climate-change policy must include preparation for damage from droughts and floods, citing measures such as elevating homes and building dams and canals to channel water away.
SourceBobreski supports stronger oversight of landfill leachate, toxic runoff, hazardous-waste risks, and industrial development so communities are not left with pollution and health risks.
SourceJames Bobreski supports strengthening public education in New York State Senate District 58 by maintaining high academic standards, safe classrooms, and better teacher pay. He also says state leaders should defend schools from federal threats to education funding, public-school independence, special education, and Department of Education support.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Bobreski says students deserve high academic standards, safe classrooms, and opportunities that prepare them for the future.
SourceBobreski supports fair pay for teachers and policies that keep teaching a profession talented people can afford to remain in.
SourceBobreski says state leaders should defend schools when federal agendas threaten education funding, public-school independence, special education, or the Department of Education's support role.
SourceJames Bobreski, the Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 58 in 2026, does not appear to have a standalone campaign public-safety platform, but his available statements emphasize equal enforcement of law, protection of ordinary residents, and regulating concrete safety risks. His public record also highlights whistleblower action over hazardous chlorine storage and malfunctioning alarms at a public wastewater facility.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Bobreski stated that every person should receive equal treatment under the law and that government must ensure rules are fair and enforced equally.
SourceBobreski argued that industrial energy risks should be regulated by comparing all energy sources by the same standard and addressing real risks rather than politically convenient ones.
SourceBobreski exposed unsafe storage of more than 100 tons of liquid chlorine and failures to maintain chlorine gas alarms at the Blue Plains wastewater treatment plant, an action later described as protecting public safety.
SourceBobreski warned supervisors about disconnected and failing safety alarms needed to detect hazardous chlorine leaks, leading to investigations and an OSHA whistleblower finding.
SourceVOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/candidate-detail.do?id=73189216Fetched: biography, education, location
The Wellsville Sun
https://wellsvillesun.com/blog/2026/08/15/allegany-county-democratic-committee-endorses-james-bobreski-in-nys-58th-senate-race/Fetched: biography, location
New York State Board of Elections 2026 Primary Certification
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-4.30.26-.pdfFetched: votingRecord
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/race/new-york-state-senate-district-58-74499Fetched: campaignFinance
FollowTheMoney
https://www.followthemoney.org/search-results/SearchForm?Search=James%20BobreskiFetched: campaignFinance
The Hornell Sun
https://hornellsun.com/2026/08/15/allegany-county-democratic-committee-endorses-james-bobreski-in-nys-58th-senate-race/Fetched: endorsements
The Wellsville Sun
https://wellsvillesun.com/blog/2026/08/24/yates-county-democrats-endorse-penn-yans-jim-bobreski-for-nys-senate/Fetched: endorsements
FingerLakes1.com
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2026/08/23/yates-county-democrats-endorse-jim-bobreski-for-state-senate/Fetched: endorsements
FingerLakes1.com
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2026/07/13/penn-yan-democrat-running-for-58th-senate-district/Fetched: issuePositions
The Hornell Sun
https://hornellsun.com/2026/08/07/op-ed-let-us-help-senator-omara-with-his-energy-bill/Fetched: issuePositions
FingerLakes1.com
https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2026/07/20/bobreski-challenges-omaras-solar-criticism-in-state-senate-race/Fetched: issuePositions
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_New_York_State_Senate_electionFetched: candidateIdentity
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/m/candidate-detail.do?id=73189214Fetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/race-detail.do?id=26976931Fetched: issuePositions
AOL / Elmira Star-Gazette
https://www.aol.com/articles/yates-county-democrat-bobreski-challenging-090300000.htmlFetched: issuePositions
Seneca County Democratic Committee
https://scdemocrats.org/2026-state-and-local-candidatesFetched: issuePositions
New York State Board of Elections
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-5.13.26_0.pdfFetched: candidateIdentity
The Wellsville Sun
https://wellsvillesun.com/blog/2026/07/20/op-ed-omara-and-the-c-o-n-e-concentration-of-non-essentials/Fetched: issuePositions
Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto Whistleblower Case Archive
https://kkc.com/whistleblower-case-archive/james-j-bobreski/Fetched: issuePositions
The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2001/03/06/whistle-blower-wins-56000-from-district/18537c31-f091-4c5c-8623-6005c2bf8a5e/Fetched: issuePositions