The latest development in the midterm congressional election in New York’s 17th Congressional District, which covers the Hudson Valley, suggests the possibility of another Republican entrant to challenge Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D-Port Jervis), leaving her without a clear challenger in the ballot.
In 2014, Tom Faggioli, a former Hudson Valley congressman, ran for Congress against Nita Lowey, the current incumbent in New York’s 17th district, but strategists have stated that Faggioli’s defeat in the 2016 election, where congressional seats are fewer, made him a less appealing candidate this time around. Mike Lawler, a former Westchester County legislator, and Beth Garvey Davidson, Erie County’s former first lady, have both expressed interest in the seat.
Lawler withdrew candidacy from the 18th Congressional District, which includes Putnam and Dutchess counties, when the U.S. Court of Appeals struck down the congressional maps. His decision leaves the GOP without a candidate in the 18th district for the foreseeable future, but Lawler is expected to face a crowded field of candidates, including Gunther, in the 17th district. Gunther’s reelection would maintain the current balance in congressional representation for New York’s lower Hudson Valley.
Davidson, meanwhile, is looking for endorsements within the Republican Party, and a recent poll shows that she supports President Trump’s immigration policy, hinting at her potential conservative values. Moreover, Lawler and Davidson’s interest in the seat suggests that the GOP is looking to strengthen its position in New York’s lower Hudson Valley. In the 2016 midterms, Lowey won easily, by more than a 50-point margin. However, in this contest, political strategists from both parties anticipate a closer race with a bigger turnout due to emotional issues such as immigration, healthcare, and taxes.
Gunther, who is known to be a moderate, plans to emphasize issues such as increasing internet access in rural areas and saving Montezuma Veterans’ Hospital. Additionally, she has announced a “listening tour” of the 17th district to learn about the concerns of constituents before filing for candidacy later this month. Her campaign, which had previously counted on winning the seat without serious opposition, has had to adjust its strategy due to the new candidates.
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