New York, Jan 9 : Mumbai-born Minita Sanghvi, a Democrat, has announced her candidacy for the 44th State Senate District in New York's Capital Region, currently held by Republican Jim Tedisco. If elected, Sanghvi will be the first gay woman and first Indian-American to represent the District, which includes Saratoga County, Niskayuna, and the city of Schenectady. A Commissioner of Finances in the Saratoga Springs city council, Sanghvi was re-elected last November and began her second two-year term in the position, beginning this year. "After careful consideration and lots of conversations I've decided to run for State Senate. I believe we have a leadership gap and we need someone who puts the needs of our community first," she posted on X. 'I'm running for State Senate because we deserve better,' Sanghvi said in a press release on Monday. 'We need a leader who will prioritise the needs of our community over partisan politics in Albany. I'm not a career politician; I'm a parent, a business educator, and a dedicated public servant committed to fiscal responsibility. My track record reflects my ability to listen to the people and collaborate with others to deliver tangible results,' she added. Her priorities include securing infrastructure dollars for bridges and roads, getting more state aid to counties and cities, bringing green and high-tech jobs to communities, and establishing 'an innovation corridor' linking Schenectady and Saratoga. 'I believe in protecting rights and freedoms for all residents, no matter where they live or what political party they belong to,' Sanghvi said in a statement. 'I'll protect women's access to health care, defend LGBTQ rights, and ensure everyone has an equal shot at the same American Dream this country has given to me,' she said in a statement. According to the state Board of Elections, there are approximately 226,000 active registered voters in the 44th State Senate District. Born in Mumbai into a family of entrepreneurs, Sanghvi moved to the US in 2001 and became a citizen in 2010. In 2014, she moved to Saratoga Springs to teach at Skidmore College in the Management and Business Department. In Saratoga Springs, Sanghvi has served on the Charter Review Commission, was the founding member of the Human Rights Task force, and was elected to the Saratoga Springs Public Library where she served for five years. An MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, she went on to do her PhD from Bryan School of Business and Economics at University of North Carolina Greensboro. She was a senior account executive at Leo Burnett, assistant manager at WalMart and a retail media coordinator at CARQUEST. While in Greensboro, she served on the Human Relations Commission whose mission was to encourage fair treatment and promote mutual understanding and respect among all. /IANS