 He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1966 to 1968, sitting in the 176th and 177th New York State Legislatures.He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1969 until his death in 1998, sitting in the 178th, 179th, 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st and 192nd New York State Legislatures.Present almost lost his 1992 re-election campaign to his Democratic opponent Nancy Bargar after machine ballots showed Bargar ahead by 900 votes.