State Senator Peter Oberacker is running for a third term of office in the 51st district, which stretches from Binghamton to Ellenville. He is facing a challenge from Democrat Michele Frazier, after having previously beaten Eric Ball in 2022 and Jim Barber in 2020.

Peter Oberacker was born on Long Island but has made his political home in Otsego County in the Mohawk Valley. He attended Schenevus High School and SUNY Delhi (where his opponent now teaches), getting an associate’s degree in Food Sale and Distribution. After college, he joined his father running a meat market in Schenevus, before moving on to managerial and sales work at ConAgra, Chemische Fabrik Budenheim, and his own company, a consultancy service called Form Tech Solutions.

His mother was town justice in the neighboring town of Maryland, New York for 25 years. Following in her footsteps, Oberacker served on the Maryland town board, then became town supervisor, then served in the Otsego County legislature.

In 2020, he ran for the State Senate.

He has sponsored bills permitting e-bikes to travel on roads of 55 mph or more, permitting those with a gun or hunting license to buy ammunition without being entered into the state police database, and requiring the state parole board to include at least one law enforcement officer and one crime victim or victim’s representative. The latter bill is part of an avowed focus on parole reform, responding to what he calls a pattern of state policies that “favor criminals.”

In an interview with Jim Kelvin of All Otsego, he described his philosophy as “a businessman’s approach” based around return on investment – “Where do we get the most satisfaction for what we’re spending?”

He has been vocal about his displeasure with a perceived inefficiency in the state government caused by bills coming in late, forcing legislators to vote on them without a full understanding of what he calls “their effect downstream.” To that end, he’s been vocal about having a more business-oriented government.

“I would like to see us get back to a more business-type mindset,” he told Don Mathisen of the Daily Star last July. “I would like to see more legislators with a business background and even experience in local municipal government.”

Spending seems a big concern for Oberacker. Last year, he spoke out against Governor Hochul and the state’s green energy policies, citing them as a source of “outmigration” of people unable to afford New York.

“The costs associated with the ‘all-electric’ proposals floated by Democrats in Albany are astronomical and rural areas that I represent would feel a great deal of pain,” he said in a press release. “Additionally, questions about reliability continue to go unanswered. We need a diverse, affordable energy plan that will protect the environment while also ensuring that residents and business owners are not left in the dark drowning in debt.”

However, he says he maintains “really good relationships with my colleagues from across the aisle,” and just last month praised Governor Hochul’s support in passing his electronic appearance bill which allowed for virtual arraignments in his counties, something he calls “a transformative step that addresses an important need in our rural communities while saving valuable time and resources.”

Frazier has cited the opioid crisis as a point of concern for her. Oberacker has often framed this as a particular challenge for rural areas. “Access to treatment has always been a significant roadblock and the hurdles are even steeper today,” he said to the New York State Senate Joint Task Force on Opioids, Addiction and Overdose Prevention.

He has also mentioned providing additional resources to law enforcement as a priority. “Community based solutions,” he wrote on Facebook in 2021, “are crucial.”

On cannabis, which is one of Michele Frazier’s key issues, Oberacker’s voting record is mixed. In 2021, he voted against legalizing recreational cannabis use for adults, and the next year he voted against requiring insurers to cover medical marijuana. However, this year he voted yes on a bill that authorized permits for cannabis showcase events. The bill passed 46-15.

In September, Frazier charged that Oberacker backed out of a scheduled debate with her, but Oberacker’s Deputy Communications Director Dan Koerner told River Reporter “there was nothing ever on the senator’s calendar.” Vince Casale of the campaign reiterated that, telling the Journal "There was no debate scheduled." This will be Oberacker’s first senate run without a debate.

Click here for our Michele Frazier story.