And the votes are in 

By LIAM MAYO
Posted 8/24/22

STATEWIDE, NY — The votes are in and the races have been called following a round of primary and special elections on August 23. 

Democrat Pat Ryan won the special election to replace …

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And the votes are in 

Posted

STATEWIDE, NY — The votes are in and the races have been called following a round of primary and special elections on August 23.

Democrat Pat Ryan won the special election to replace former representative Antonio Delgado in New York’s 19th Congressional District, beating Republican Marc Molinaro by 51.10 percent of the vote to 48.72 percent.

While Ryan won the statewide contest, Molinaro carried Sullivan County. He earned 57.06 percent of the vote with 5,196 votes cast in his favor compared to 3,881 votes for Ryan.

In a statement on Twitter, Ryan cast his election as a vote for reproductive rights. “Choice was on the ballot. Freedom was on the ballot, and tonight choice and freedom won. We voted like our democracy was on the line because it is. We upended everything we thought we knew about politics and did it together. #NY19, it will be my honor to serve you in Congress.”

Molinaro conceded with his own statement, writing, “Early today [August 24], I called to congratulate Congressman-elect Pat Ryan. I wish him well and will do my part help in service to our shared community... As we look forward, every midterm election is a referendum on the party in power. Late campaign comments by folks like Governor Hochul, that if you don’t agree with their policies on the economy, crime, and pandemic restrictions then you should leave are wrong. Everyone in this district, in America, deserves a government that respects and serves them. In November, help is on the way as I remain a candidate for the new 19th congressional district, with a new opponent - and we will continue to offer solutions for all families in upstate New York.”

Ryan will serve out the remaining period of Delgado’s term, serving until the end of the year. Elsewhere in the state, Ryan won the Democratic primary for Congressional District 18. He will run for that seat in November’s general election. Molinaro ran uncontested for the Republican nomination for the general election in Congressional District 19, and he will run again for that seat in November.

Josh Riley won out over Jamie Cheney in the Democratic primary for Congressional District 19, winning 61.49 percent of the vote to Cheney’s 35.30. The race was closer in Sullivan County, but still broke in Riley’s favor, with 53.54 of the vote going to him. Riley will run against Molinaro in November’s general election.

“I am honored to be your Democratic nominee in #NY19. Upstate New Yorkers have been sold out by professional politicians and special interests. I’m running for Congress to bring change and new leadership. This is a campaign by working families for working families,” wrote Riley in a statement on Twitter.

Cheney threw her support behind Riley in a concession statement released on Twitter, saying, “I am so proud of the campaign we ran and want to thank our volunteers and grassroots supporters from the bottom of my heart. I fully support Democratic nominee Josh Riley, and look forward to helping him beat anti-choice Marc Molinaro and keep the House blue this fall.”

Incumbent Peter Oberacker beat challenger Terry Bernardo in the Republican primary for New York’s 51st State Senate District. He earned 52.11 percent of the vote, with 10,398 votes compared to Bernardo’s 9,371.

Bernardo chose to run in response to the redistricting that expanded the 51st district southward, incorporating Sullivan and Broome counties. She earned a large share of the vote in Sullivan and Ulster Counties, earning 74.44 percent and 64.16 percent in those counties respectively, but lost to Oberacker in the more northern parts of the district; Oberacker won 78.49 percent of the vote in Schoharie County and 66.48 percent of the vote in Otsego County.

“My thanks to the voters of the 51st Senate District for your support at the ballot box. I am honored to have secured the Republican nomination and look forward to helping lead the Red Wave in November as the New York Senate GOP retake the Majority,” wrote Oberacker in a statement on Twitter.

Oberacker will face Democratic candidate Eric Ball in November’s general election. Ball released a statement following the primary claiming Bernardo’s defeat as a sign of voters rejecting rhetoric that downplayed climate change. “Bernardo advocates for reducing existing environmental regulations and halting the addition of green jobs. As your next State Senator, I will ensure that local communities benefit from green jobs and lead the way in expanding our green industry.”

All race calls and vote determinations in this article come from the New York State Board of Elections Unofficial Election Night Results (nyenr.elections.ny.gov/), viewed the afternoon of Friday, August 26. The election results have not yet been finalized.

An earlier version of this article misspelled Jaimie Cheney's last name; that has been corrected as of 3 p.m., August 26, 2022.

election, primary, special election, Peter Oberacker, Eric Ball, Terry Bernardo, Marc Molinaro, Pat Ryan, Jamie Cheny, Josh Riley

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