Packed Room for Phillips Town Hall in Lafayette Ahead of Thursday Town Hall in Cato

AUBURN, NY – Ian Phillips (D), candidate for State Assembly District 126, held a Town Hall in Lafayette, NY, on August 25th at the Lafayette Public Library from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. The room was full. This is the site where Phillips’ opponent, John Lemondes (R), failed to appear at his own scheduled “Lemondes Listens” event in June, giving no notice to attendees. Weeks later, Lemondes failed to appear at a scheduled “Lemondes Listens” event at the Baldwinsville Public Library. Staff attended, even though the invitation emphasized the opportunity for constituents to meet “the man himself.” Tomorrow, Thursday, October 27, Phillips will be holding a Town Hall in Cato at 7 PM at the Cato Town Offices.

Phillips is committed to meeting constituents and learning about their concerns and hopes for their communities. He welcomes invitations to hold Town Halls in any community in the 126th Assembly District, which includes several towns in Onondaga County (Pompey, Fabius, LaFayette, Tully, Otisco, Spafford, Marcellus, Skaneateles, Camillus, Elbridge, and Lysander) and Cayuga County (Sennett, Auburn, Owasco, Throop, Conquest, Cato, Brutus, Mentz). He is also eager to speak to organizations and groups.

Phillips believes constituents should have ample opportunities to get to know candidates, as well as the contrasts between candidates. To this end, he welcomes the opportunity to engage in public debates with his opponent at any time during the campaign. In the 2024 election, Lemondes refused to debate Phillips in public, only agreeing to a debate on a public access channel on October 23, just one and a half weeks before the election.

“I will debate no-show Lemondes anytime and any place, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I will be holding events open to the public in every corner of this district because we've had a do-nothing absentee Assemblyman for far too long,” said Ian Phillips.

The general election will take place on November 3, 2026.