The “mid-year” elections are upon us where the entire House of Representatives is up for election along with thirty-five seats in the Senate. Will it be a red wave, a blue wave or a shade in between that sweeps the nation? At the state level there are races for governor, attorney general, comptroller, and the Assembly and State Senate.

While I suspect most of you don’t care how I will vote, I am going to tell you anyway. I will also provide the reasoning, knowing full well that some of you might call it my lack of reasoning.

In the race for U.S. senator from New York, incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand is opposed by Chele Farley, who, like most recent Republican candidates for statewide office, is running on a shoestring and hasn’t a chance. The last Republican elected to the Senate was Al D’Amato who served from 1981 to 1999 and the last upstate Republican elected to the Senate was Ken Keating of Rochester who served from 1959 to 1965.

Unlike Gillibrand, Farley has never been a candidate, has a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and a 20-year career in the financial industry.

Gillibrand is a professional politician who claims to be a lawyer. I say claims to be a lawyer because I think she must have either missed or slept through Constitutional Law classes because of her remarks claiming that Justice Brett Kavanaugh had no right to due process or the presumption of innocence during his Senate hearings. Even the U.N. Human Rights Commission calls them rights given to all people.

I will vote for Farley. though Gillibrand will win and continue to espouse her radical left-wing ideas.

In the 23rd Congressional District Democrat Tracy Mitrano is pitted against incumbent Tom Reed in the race for the district’s seat. Reed, who was first elected in 2010, has represented our district well and Mitrano, who is left of center, seems by all accounts to be an experienced and well-qualified person who would also represent the district in a credible fashion.

However, I will be voting for Reed because if Mitrano is elected, she could represent the tipping point that could lead to Nancy Pelosi becoming Speaker of the House again. Pelosi thinks our taxes are too low and favors stealing more of our hard-earned money to better serve illegal immigrants and those on march on our borders.

Conjure up an image of a House of Representatives with committee chairmen the likes of Maxine Waters, Adam Schiff or Jerry Nadler and you might understand the reason for my vote.

In the Governor’s race we have a choice between incumbent Andrew Cuomo and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro. Cuomo, over the years has promised western New Yorkers anything to get our votes. Remember his promise to repower Dunkirk’s NRG plant and remember that while the coming of Athenex to northern Chautauqua County is a good thing, it’s being done with our tax dollars and not private funds as would happen in a state with a healthy and vibrant economy unhampered by high taxes and myriad regulations. Cuomo is a man who always loves finding ways to spend our money.

Molinaro became the six-term Mayor of Tivoli at the age of 19 and has done an outstanding job as county executive. As governor, he would cut taxes which is unusual, if not sacrilegious for a New York politician. Finally, he is not Cuomo.

Like Farley, Molinaro has no chance of winning and is running on a shoestring. Sadly, like the Senate race this one points to the intellectual bankruptcy and incompetent leadership of the state Republican party.

In the New York state Attorney General’s race, Buffalo born and raised Republican Keith Wofford is running against Democrat Letitia James of New York City. Non-politician Wofford is co-managing partner of the New York office of Ropes and Gray where he oversees 300 attorneys. Ms. James is a New York politician of long standing and is Cuomo’s choice for the office. Sorry, if she is Andrew’s choice she’s not my choice even if she was the second coming of Mother Teresa.

In the race for State Comptroller, incumbent Thomas DiNapoli is opposed by Democrat turned Republican Jonathan Trichter who has worked in the financial industry. I will be casting my vote for DiNapoli who has proven to be an able steward of state finances since 2007.

Moving closer to home in the New York Senate race I will vote for Cathy Young who has been an outstanding representative of our area and is running unopposed. In the Assembly race I will be voting for Andy Goodell who has also been an able representative for our area in Albany.

Finally, in the race for Chautauqua County sheriff I am voting for Joe Gerace who is an outstanding sheriff and oversees a great department.

That’s how I’m voting. No matter who you will be voting for on Tuesday be sure to heed the message on Democratic Chairman Norm Green’s sweatshirt to “vote, vote, vote.”

Thomas Kirkpatrick Sr. is a Silver Creek resident.