Politics in New York usually feels like a foregone conclusion. You’ve got the deep blue strongholds and the bright red rural patches, but every so often, a race comes along that feels like a genuine tug-of-war. That’s basically the story of Gina Arena State Senate campaigns. If you’ve been following Westchester, Putnam, or Rockland County politics over the last few years, her name is everywhere.
She didn't just pop up out of nowhere. Honestly, Gina Arena has become the face of a specific kind of suburban frustration. It's that feeling that Albany is getting too expensive, too fast, and that regular families are being left in the rearview mirror.
The Battle for the 40th District
District 40 is a weird, beautiful slice of the Hudson Valley. It covers a lot of ground—stretching across parts of Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland. In 2024, Gina Arena took her second shot at unseating the Democratic incumbent, Peter Harckham.
It was close. Really close.
Arena pulled in 76,660 votes. That’s about 46.4% of the total. Harckham held on with 53.6%, but the margins tell a story of a divided electorate. This wasn't a blowout; it was a grind.
When you look at the 2022 results, the numbers were almost identical. She hit 46.6% back then. It shows a remarkably consistent base of support. People weren't just voting for a "Republican" or a "Conservative" line; they were voting for Gina.
Why the 2024 results felt different
Even though she lost the seat, the momentum didn't just evaporate. Politics is funny like that. You can lose a race and still gain a massive amount of "political capital."
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Shortly after the 2024 election cycle, life took a turn for Arena. In November 2025, she was appointed to a vacant seat on the Somers Town Board. It was a move that basically said, "We aren't done with her yet." She stepped in to fill the spot left by Tom Garrity.
Now, because of some tricky new state laws about when elections happen, she has to run again in 2026 to keep that local seat. It's a constant cycle.
What Gina Arena actually stands for
You can't talk about Gina Arena State Senate runs without talking about her "why." She isn't a career politician who spent twenty years in backrooms. She’s an administrative assistant at the Westchester County Department of Public Works.
She’s also a mother of eight.
That’s not a typo. Eight.
Her platform is deeply personal. If you listen to her speak, she doesn't lead with abstract policy papers. She leads with her life. She lost her son, Jimmy, to brain cancer when he was only six. She has a daughter with severe autism. She’s seen the struggle of the opioid crisis firsthand through her family's own battles.
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The Core Issues
- Affordability: This is the big one. She talks about the "pre-existing affordability crisis" in New York. Basically, she thinks people are being taxed out of their homes.
- Public Safety: Arena has been a vocal critic of cashless bail. She argues it puts victims at a disadvantage and makes communities less safe.
- Local Control: She’s big on keeping zoning decisions in the hands of towns and cities, not Albany.
- Girls' Sports: This became a massive talking point in 2024. She’s been very firm about keeping biological males out of girls' sports, framing it as a matter of fairness and safety for young women.
The Human Element of the Campaign
Most politicians try to hide their scars. Gina wears hers on her sleeve. She helped create the Foundation for Educating Children with Autism. She and her husband started the JIMMY Foundation to help families with kids facing life-threatening illnesses.
That kind of local, boots-on-the-ground work is why she has such a loyal following. Even her political opponents, like Richard Clinchy in Somers, have called her a friend. Clinchy, a Democrat, actually abstained from her appointment vote rather than voting "no," specifically citing their long-standing relationship.
It's rare to see that kind of civility nowadays.
Realities of the 40th District
Let’s be real: winning as a Republican in this part of New York is an uphill climb. The registration numbers favor Democrats. Harckham has the benefit of incumbency and a well-funded machine.
But Arena’s performance shows there is a huge appetite for a different perspective. She’s tapped into the "working-class Westchester" vibe—the people who aren't living in mansions but are trying to figure out how to pay their property taxes while their kids’ schools are being squeezed.
She has criticized the billions spent on the migrant crisis, suggesting those funds should be redirected to veterans and the disabled. It’s a polarizing stance, sure, but it’s one that resonates in the diners and volunteer firehouses of District 40.
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Looking toward 2026
Since she’s now on the Somers Town Board, the focus has shifted. But the Gina Arena State Senate story isn't over. Whether she makes another run for the Senate or focuses on local governance, she has cemented herself as a power player in the Hudson Valley.
Her appointment to the board was seen as a way to bring "heart and experience" to the table. For a town board that hadn't seen a woman in its ranks for a long time, it was a significant shift.
Actionable Insights for Following Local Races
If you’re trying to stay informed on local candidates like Gina Arena, don't just look at the TV ads. Those are usually garbage. Here’s what actually helps:
- Check the Board of Elections: Look at the raw vote counts. Don't just look at who won; look at where the votes came from. Arena usually dominates in more rural areas like Stony Point but struggles in the more urbanized centers.
- Follow the Appointments: A lot of political careers are built through appointments to vacant seats. It’s a way for parties to "test" a candidate in office before they have to face a full election.
- Monitor Local Laws: Changes in the election calendar (moving local races to even years) have a massive impact on who actually shows up to vote. This is going to be a huge factor for Arena in 2026.
- Look for Non-Partisan Work: Candidates who have founded non-profits or served in volunteer roles (like the JIMMY Foundation) often have a deeper level of community trust that doesn't show up in standard polling.
Politics in the 40th District is a marathon, not a sprint. Gina Arena has proven she's willing to run the distance, regardless of the scoreboard. Her journey from a grieving mother and advocate to a two-time Senate candidate and now a Town Board member is a blueprint for how personal conviction can be turned into political action.
Keep an eye on the 2026 Somers election. It’ll tell us a lot about whether her brand of "common sense" politics can hold a local seat after coming so close to a state-level one.