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Democrats Pick Challengers in Targeted New York Races

All nine New York Republicans are on DCCC’s target list this year

Democratic state Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi will face GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney in the 22nd District. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Democratic state Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi will face GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney in the 22nd District. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Democrats are targeting all nine New York Republicans in their effort to win back the House, and the general election matchups took shape Tuesday night.

Some competitive races were already set, including in the 22nd District in central New York. Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney and Democratic state Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Also facing no opposition his primary was Democrat Nate McMurray, the Grand Island town supervisor, who’s challenging GOP incumbent Chris Collins in the 27th District in western New York.  

Elsewhere in the Empire State, Democrats picked their general election candidates.

1st District

Business executive Perry Gershon won the Democratic primary in the 1st District on Long Island to take on two-term GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin.

Gershon, who sunk $1.3 million of his own money into the race, defeated four other Democrats including Suffolk County Legislator Kate Browning in the primary. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, he led Browning, 35 percent to 30 percent, when The Associated Press called the race.

President Donald Trump carried the district by 12 points in 2016. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Solid Republican.

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2nd District

Democratic activist Liuba Grechen Shirley will face GOP Rep. Peter T. King in the Long Island-based 2nd District.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, she led Army veteran and Suffolk County Legislator Duwayne Gregory, 58 percent to 42 percent, when the AP called the race.

Trump carried the district by 9 points in 2016. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Republican.

11th District

Army veteran Max Rose handily won the Democratic primary in the Staten Island-based 11th District. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, he led a  six-way field with 65 percent of the vote, according to the AP. 

Although Democrats might have been clamoring to take on convicted felon and former Rep. Michael G. Grimm, Republican incumbent Dan Donovan easily fended off Grimm’s challenge Tuesday night.

Democrats still think they can make this race competitive, especially given Rose’s military background and his strength as a fundraiser. President Donald Trump carried the district by 10 points in 2016, and Inside Elections rates the race Likely Republican.

19th District

Lawyer Antonio Delgado won the Democratic primary to take on GOP Rep. John J. Faso in the Hudson Valley-based district.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Delgado was leading a seven-candidate field with 22 percent of the vote when the AP called the race. Former gubernatorial aide Gareth Rhodes was in second with 18 percent, just ahead of Iraq War veteran Pat Ryan, who also had 18 percent. 

Delgado has outraised Faso in recent fundraising cycles, and was on television early on during the primary. He has stressed Faso’s vote last year for the Republican plan to repeal much of the 2010 health care law. 

Trump carried the 19th District by 7 points in 2016, but voters here backed President Barack Obama  by 8 points in 2012, making Faso a top Democratic target. Inside Elections rates the race Tilts Republican.

21st District

Former St. Lawrence County Legislator Tedra Cobb won the Democratic primary in the sprawling upstate 21st District to take on GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Cobb led a six-way field with 56 percent of the vote, according to the AP. Former MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan finished second with 12 percent, just ahead of businesswoman Katie Wilson who also took 12 percent.

The North Country district represents an uphill climb for Democrats. Trump carried the seat by 14 points in 2016. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Republican.

23rd District

The race for the Democratic nod in the 23rd District along the state’s Southern Tier was too close to call Tuesday night. 

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Air Force veteran Max Della Pia clung to a 26-vote lead over former college administrator Tracy Mitrano, with both taking 32 percent of the vote, according to the AP. Absentee ballots remain to be counted. 

The winner will take on GOP Rep. Tom Reed in a district Trump carried by 15 points in 2016. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Republican.

24th District

Professor and activist Dana Balter won the primary in the Syracuse-based district to take on GOP Rep. John Katko. Balter was backed by local Democrats, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recruited former Syracuse mayoral candidate Juanita Perez Williams to jump into the race shortly before the filing deadline.

Balter defeated Perez Williams, garnering 63 percent of the vote when the Associated Press called the race with 84 percent of precincts reporting. Perez Williams had won 37 percent of the vote.

Local Democrats pushed back against the national intervention, but party operatives saw Perez Williams, a veteran and prosecutor, as a stronger challenger to Katko. Republicans are confident Katko has built an independent brand in the district, which Hillary Clinton carried by 4 points in 2016. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Likely Republican.

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