Everything to know about the race in NY’s 129th District

The midterm election is a week away, and two new candidates are on the ballot for the New York State Assembly in the 129th district. 

Maurice “Mo” Brown is the Democratic candidate, and Shawn Fiato is the Republican candidate; both are running for the seat for the first time.

“We cannot take our right to choice, and rather to vote, for granted, our civil rights must be defended by using them,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at an event she held in Syracuse last month regarding her plan to reinvigorate inactive Democratic voters across the state.

Previously, Bill Magnarelli (D) had held the seat for nearly 30 years. Earlier this year, Brown beat Magnarelli in the primary election by 107 votes. Brown previously held the seat in the Onondaga County Legislature for the 15th district; he was elected to that position in 2023.

Shawn Fiato was the Onondaga County legislator for the 8th district. She was appointed in January 2025 by County Executive J. Ryan McMahon II after Chris Ryan won his bid for the New York Senate in November 2024. Fiato ran again for the seat in the legislature in the 2025 election but lost to Chad Ryan, a Democrat. 

Both candidates are New York natives, with Fiato being from Syracuse and Brown from Brooklyn. 

Fiato moved to the Park Avenue neighborhood in 1987, where she co-founded the Park Avenue Neighborhood Association in 2005 and later became president of the association.

 “One of the most pleasant people I’ve ever encountered, on either side of the aisle,” said Brian May (R) a current Onondaga County legislator for the 1st district who worked with Fiato during her time as a legislator, “Just super sweet and committed, wanting to learn and understand literally everything.”  

Brown attended OCC after joining the army. Before his second deployment, he enrolled at Syracuse University as a Communications and Rhetorical Studies student. He became involved in politics during Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, where he became a national delegate. 

“He’s very fun, he’s very good at bringing in new people and making things interesting for people and teaching people about politics who might be new to it, and being really engaging and interesting,” said Zach Zeliff, one of Brown’s good friends who he met while he was a delegate for the Sanders campaign. 

As of Oct. 22, Brown has received $62,991.40 in donations from a total of 633 donations, compared to the $24,905.62 received by Fiato from 158 donations. Both candidates received donations from political action committees and unions, but the majority of their donations came from individuals. 

Lisa Lehmann, the 17th Ward Democratic Committee Club chair, said that the committee voted on whether or not to endorse Brown and that the outcome was unanimous. 

“There was no opposition to that,” she said. 

The 17th Ward Democratic Committee Club donated $250 to Brown’s campaign. The biggest donations Brown received came from three political action committees (PACs) and one partnership, each of those donations amounted to $3,000. 

The largest donations Fiato received came from the NYS Laborers Local 633 political action committee and a local business, United Auto Supply. Both of those donations were $3,000 each. 

Brown is running on eight main priorities: supporting veterans, workers’ rights, environmental justice, education, transportation, public safety, housing, and affordability. According to his website, his number one priority is equity. 

According to Fiato’s Facebook page, where she runs the majority of her campaign, she is running on three main points: safe neighborhoods, affordable living, and “the freedom to shape our own futures.” 

Her website highlights her successes within the Park Avenue neighborhood, for which she secured $3.3 million as president of the Park Avenue Neighborhood Association. 

Early voting for the midterm election started on the 24th and will continue until November 1st, the last day to vote will be November 3rd. 

The New York State Board of Elections website can provide information on which polling locations are open for early voting and where to vote on election day.