‘I think nobody knows what’s going on’ in N.Y. election battles
ALBANY — Newly redrawn congressional and state Senate maps upended New York’s electoral landscape and have prompted some lawmakers to reconsider their political futures.
Several state lawmakers expressed interest Tuesday in potential congressional runs a day after a court-appointed expert released a draft version of proposed political boundaries for the Empire State.
Assemblyman Robert Carroll (D-Brooklyn) said a new congressional seat representing lower Manhattan and a large swath of Brooklyn caught his eye and has him thinking about trading Albany for Washington.
“I’m going to seriously consider and talk to my family about possibly running for Congress,” he told the Daily News.
Others who have expressed interest or are rumored to be mulling a run for the seat are former Mayor Bill de Blasio, state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan), city Comptroller Brad Lander and David Yassky, a former City Council member.
“I think nobody knows what’s going on,” Carroll added. “I think this is: could New York politics get any more crazy and stress-inducing?”
Special Master Jonathan Cervas, tasked with crafting nonpartisan boundaries after the state’s highest court scrapped districts drawn up by the Democratic-controlled Legislature, unveiled his preliminary draft maps on Monday.
Should Steuben County Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister sign off on the new maps on Friday as expected, candidates could begin collecting petition signatures needed to get on the ballot as early as this weekend.
The court battle that led to Cervas taking over the process also resulted in New York’s congressional and state Senate primaries being pushed back from June to August.
Cervas’ maps further complicate what is already shaping up to be a chaotic election year in New York by combining congressional districts and potentially pitting sitting Dems against one another.
Some state lawmakers, however, saw the reconfigured maps as an opportunity to explore new career paths.
Sen. James Skoufis (D-Newburgh) tweeted that he is “seriously considering” a run for a revamped Hudson Valley district that stretches across Orange County, southern Ulster and most of Dutchess County.
“My team and I have beaten formidable opponents every two years — in a Trump district each and every time — while maintaining a laser-focused vision on delivering for the Hudson Valley and upholding our Democratic ideals,” Skoufis wrote.
Assemblyman Mike Lawler (R-Pearl River) said Tuesday he is weighing a run for the 17th Congressional District, which includes Putnam and Rockland counties, and parts of Dutchess and Westchester counties. The race could be hotly contested as Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who currently represents the 18th district, announced he will challenge fellow Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones for the seat.
“I believe by putting my name forward, I will offer voters a fresh perspective and a commitment to reach across party lines, work to represent all communities, and fight for what is right,” Lawler said, adding that he’ll make a decision once the maps are finalized.
Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, meanwhile, said he is still running in the 19th Congressional District even though Cervas’ new boundaries no longer include his Red Hook home.
“These are all communities I’ve gotten to know well since my gubernatorial run in 2018,” Molinaro said in a statement. “I’ve spent countless hours and driven thousands of miles meeting old friends and making new friends in this proposed district.”
The seat is currently held by Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-Rhinebeck), who is stepping down to become Gov. Hochul’s new lieutenant governor.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat, said Tuesday he will run in the yetto-be-scheduled special election to replace Delgado. A day earlier, Ryan indicated he was instead eyeing the 18th District.
“I have spent my entire life in service to this community, and I’m excited to continue that fight in Washington,” he said.
Hochul quickly threw her support behind Ryan’s run.
“Time and again, [Ryan] has shown us that he is the type of leader who will put results for his community over partisan politics,” she tweeted. “I’m honored to support his special election to Congress.”