New York
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) is on the ballot for re-election and should have little trouble winning again, though his victory margin may be a bit smaller in what could become a difficult year for Democrats. The Governor’s race is becoming close, and incumbent Kathy Hochul (D), who ascended to the office when then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was forced to resign, finds herself in a much more difficult campaign against GOP US Representative Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley/East Long Island) than she originally anticipated. Polling is now showing that the Governor’s race is a potential toss-up. Still, the overwhelming Democratic margin in New York City should be enough to deliver Ms. Hochul a close victory at the very least.
The House races yield several competitive battles with three seats on Long Island being open and three more Democratic seats in the Hudson Valley heading into the toss-up realm, including Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Sean Patrick Maloney’s (D-Cold Spring) district. Two state Assemblymen and a former Republican gubernatorial nominee gives the GOP strong candidates for each of these latter campaigns. The open Syracuse Republican seat is also a major competitive battle.
Though the Republicans fared better in the court-drawn redistricting map than the legislature’s plan, the Democrats will still dominate the delegation. Breaking even with maintaining their eight seats when the state lost a district would be a major national victory for the GOP.
