 Thompson was appointed to the city council in 2001 and was twice re @-@ elected . He was discouraged from pursuing his interest in election to the United States House of Representatives in 2005 . He was encouraged to pursue a New York Senate Seat , but was not nominated by the Democratic Party when the seat first became available in a special election . However , during the 2006 general election for the seat , he was victorious . Thompson was challenged in the 2008 primary by the current holder of the seat but was victorious and was unchallenged in the November election . In 2010 Thompson won a 3 @-@ way primary battle but lost to Mark Grisanti , a Democrat who ran as a Republican . After the election Grisanti became a Republican . 
