Democrat Ryan declares victory in NY-19 special election to replace Delgado

Democratic Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan has declared victory in a special election in the 19th Congressional District. He was running against Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.

Ryan will fill the seat left behind by now Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado.

This race was being looked at and talked about across the country, as the first congressional race since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Because of redistricting, this district will soon look very different.

The new NY-19 stretches from the Finger Lakes to the Southern Tier, from parts of the Lower Hudson Valley to Greene and Columbia counties.

Ryan’s campaign focuses on gun safety and abortion rights.

From Ryan’s perception, this special election is a referendum on abortion rights.

Ever since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade, Democrats in this district, and across the country, mobilized, and began to focus their campaign strategy on reminding voters that tens of millions of women and families were negatively impacted by the court’s decision.

Republican Marc Molinaro, on the other hand, was pointing out that reproductive rights have been codified here in New York state, and so women here have nothing to worry about.

Molinaro had been campaigning on issues he says are more pressing, such as inflation and crime.

In 2020, the 19th Congressional District went for Joe Biden by about two points. In 2016, they voted for Donald Trump. Before that, they helped elect Barack Obama.