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For the North Country.
Dennis Gordon
For New York State Assembly District 117
Meet Dennis Gordon
Dennis Gordon knows what it means to build a life in the North Country. Born in Bell County, Texas near Fort Hood and raised in a military family, Dennis spent his early childhood on a U.S. Army base in Mannheim, Germany before his family was stationed at Fort Drum. What started as another stop on the military map became home. He grew up in Jefferson County, attended local schools, and put down roots in a region defined by long winters, tight-knit communities, and hardworking families.
After earning his degree from Jefferson Community College, where his artwork "Temple of the Sun" was published in the Black River Riverview and received a juried award, Dennis launched a career in graphic design. Since graduating college, he has run his own small business, managing every project from concept to delivery. Working independently taught him the values he carries into public life: discipline, accountability, and following through on commitments without anyone looking over his shoulder.
Dennis lives the same reality as his neighbors. He understands the weight of rising utility bills, the cost of heating a home through a Northern New York winter, and the frustration of watching young people leave the region because they can't afford to stay.
He's not a career politician. He's a small business owner, a neighbor, and a member of the community who believes the 117th District deserves a representative who shares the daily challenges of the people he serves and who will fight for practical solutions in Albany.
I never planned to run for office. That was never the dream. But when Assemblyman Kenneth Blankenbush announced his retirement after holding this seat for over two decades, I started paying attention. I called every Democratic county committee in the district to find out who was stepping up. The answer was the same everywhere: nobody.
That sat with me. For twenty years, voters in the 117th had no real choice on their ballot. In 2018, Blankenbush ran completely uncontested and still only received 31,573 votes out of nearly 77,000 registered. That's not representation. That's a default. The people of the North Country deserve better than being taken for granted.
I talked it over with my family, and I made the decision to step forward. Not because I had a political career to build, but because someone had to.
The issues I'm running on are the same ones I hear about at the grocery store, at community events, and at my own kitchen table. Utility costs keep climbing while wages stay flat. Housing is harder to find and harder to afford. Young families are leaving because they don't see a future here. Our roads, bridges, and water systems need investment. Broadband access is still unreliable in too many communities. As well as workers that need real pathways through SUNY and BOCES partnerships into careers that let them stay and build a life in the region they love.
My opponent is the outgoing assemblyman's chief of staff, offering more of the same. I'm offering something different: fresh energy, practical solutions, and a representative who actually feels the challenges this district faces every single day.
Why I'm Running
Become a founding donor.
Thanks to New York’s matching funds program, your donation of up to $250 can be matched up to 12x, turning a $250 contribution into as much as $2,550 for Dennis' campaign
New York's 117th
State Assembly District
The 117th Assembly District spans St. Lawrence County, Lewis County, and parts of Jefferson and Oneida counties in Northern New York. The district is home to communities like Watertown, Carthage, Lowville, and Camden, along with dozens of small towns that make up the heart of the North Country.
Fort Drum, one of the region's largest employers, anchors the local economy alongside small businesses, farms, and manufacturers. It is a place defined by resilient people, strong neighbors, and hard winters.