Looking to November: Previewing New York's Congressional election battles

In a presidential election year where all eyes are watching, challengers to many members of New York’s congressional delegation emerged this year, whether in primaries or going forward into the general election. In some contests, such as the 13th Congressional District race to replace U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, the primaries have all but settled things, while in others, like the 19th Congressional District election to replace U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, the fight is only just beginning. 

Here’s City & State’s guide to each congressional race in New York State:

U.S. Senator: Chuck Schumer (D, Wor, I, WEP) vs. Wendy Long (R, C, Ref) vs. Robin Laverne Wilson (G)

Schumer is poised to become the Senate Democratic Leader in January after Nevada Sen. Harry Reid retires. His opposition to the Iran nuclear deal seemed to drop his approval rating this year, but don’t expect Long, an attorney, to give him much of a challenge – she lost to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2012 by a landslide.

NY-1: David Calone (D, IND), Anna Throne-Holst (D, WEP) vs. Lee Zeldin (R, C, Ref) vs. Kenneth Schaeffer (Wor)

Calone and Throne-Holst both sunk nearly $1 million in the Democratic primary, and the day after the election, the race was still too close to call. Absentee ballots will have to be counted to determine which candidate will ultimately run against Zeldin in a tossup race that will be closely watched this November.

NY-2: Peter King (R, C, Ref) vs. DuWayne Gregory (D, WFP, IND, WEP)

King, the incumbent and a moderate Republican, has been a vocal critic of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. It remains to be seen whether that criticism will ultimately help him or turn away conservative voters. His Democratic opponent, Gregory, could court the more moderate voters frustrated with the current national politics.

NY-3: Tom Suozzi (D) vs. Jack Martins (R, C, Ref)

Two longtime politicians face off in this nationally watched race to fill an open House seat. Former Nassau County Executive Suozzi beat four other contenders for the Democratic nomination, including the retiring Rep. Steve Israel’s pick, Steve Stern. He’ll take on state Sen. Martins, who has been tapped to get support from the national committee as it tries to turn the blue district red.

NY-4: Kathleen Rice (D, WEP) vs. David Gurfein (R, C, Ref)

Like much of Long Island, neither party has a strong voter advantage in the district, but Rice, a former Nassau County District Attorney, is not expected to face much of a fight as she hunts for her second term in the House. Retired Marine and businessman “Bull” Gurfein is running for the office for the first time, and switched to the South Shore district after originally declaring for the North Shore’s 3rd Congressional District, allowing Nassau regular Jack Martins to enter the general without a primary.

NY-5: Gregory Meeks (D, WEP) vs. Michael O’Reilly (R, C) vs. Frank Francois (G)

Since taking office in 1998, Meeks has never been seriously challenged in a general. Political neophyte and regulatory attorney O’Reilly, whose background includes the Marines and flying for a commercial airline, is not expected to garner much of the vote in this heavily black, heavily Democratic Southeast Queens district.

NY-6: Grace Meng (D, WEP) vs. Danniel Maio (R, C)

Meng, New York’s first Asian-American member of Congress, is expected to win a third consecutive term in this eastern Queens district. Maio, who is running a shoestring campaign, has run for a variety of offices before without ever making much of a splash.

NY-7: Nydia Velazquez (D, WEP) vs. Allan Romaguera (R, C)

Serving in the House since 1993, Velazquez easily won the primary and is not expected to face much opposition from businessman Romaguera, who garnered 2 percent of the vote as the Conservative Party’s candidate in 2014.

NY-8: Hakeem Jeffries (D, WOR) vs. Daniel Cavanagh (C)

The popular young Brooklynite (and rumored mayoral hopeful) Jeffries will run for his third term in Congress with only token opposition from Cavanagh, who earned around 10 percent of the vote in the last two elections challenging U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke.

NY-9: Yvette Clarke (D, Wor) vs. Alan Bellone (C)

Clarke has served in Congress since 2007 and is expected to cruise to victory against Brooklyn businessman Bellone, who earned around 7 percent of the vote in the last two elections challenging U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries.

NY-10: Jerrold Nadler (D, Wor, WEP) vs. Philip Rosenthal (R, C, I)

In Congress since 1992, Nadler’s seat has never been seriously threatened. He dominated the primary and is expected to win easily in November, though lawyer and entrepreneur Rosenthal could get strong support from the district’s Orthodox Jewish voters, many of whom have criticized Nadler for his support of the Iran nuclear deal last year.

NY-11: Dan Donovan (R, C, I, Ref) vs. Richard Reichard (D) vs. Henry Bardel (G)

Former Richmond County District Attorney Donovan cruised to victory in the a special election last year for Staten Island’s seat in Congress. Reichard, the former president of the Staten Island Democrats, is making his first run for office, but the traditionally Republican seat is expected to stay that way.

NY-12: Carolyn Maloney (D, Wor) vs. Robert Ardini (R)

Manhattan’s Maloney won the primary in a landslide and has easily won re-election every year since taking office in 1993. She is expected to win again in November against political newcomer and small-business man Ardini.

NY-13: Adriano Espaillat (D), vs. Robert Evans Jr. (R, I) vs. Daniel Vila Rivera (G)

After a grueling nine-way primary with allegations of voter suppression, Espaillat is all but guaranteed to turn the “Harlem” seat held for almost a half century by Charlie Rangel into a “Washington Heights” seat, becoming the first Dominican-American member of Congress and first to have come to the country undocumented. Lawyer and first-time candidate “Tony” Evans’ case will be hard to make in this overwhelmingly Democratic district.

NY-14: Joseph Crowley (D, Wor, WEP) vs. Frank Spotorno (R, C)

Crowley has easily won re-election every cycle since entering Congress in 1999. Political newcomer and small-business man Spotorno is running on a platform of bringing more jobs to the district, but is not expected to seriously challenge Crowley.

NY-15: José Serrano (D) vs. Alejandro Vega (R) vs. Eduardo Ramirez (C)

Serrano has represented the most Democratic district in the country since 1991 and is expected to easily win once again.

NY-16: Eliot Engel (D, Wor, WEP)

Engel first took office in 1989 and will run unopposed in November.

NY-17: Nita Lowey (D, Wor, WEP)

Lowey first took office in 1989 and will run unopposed in November.

NY-18: Sean Patrick Maloney (D, WFP, I, WEP) vs. Phil Oliva (R, C, Ref)

Republican political consultant Oliva will run against two-term congressman Maloney this November. Oliva comfortably won his primary race, but will potentially face an uphill battle in a district that has more registered Democrats than Republicans.

NY-19: Zephyr Teachout (D, WFP) vs. John Faso (R, C, I, Ref)

The race between Teachout and Faso is expected to be close. The 19th Congressional District is seen as a very competitive district, with only a slight majority of active registered Republicans. It’s likely U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson’s successor will be the candidate who is able to court enough votes from both sides of the aisle.

NY-20: Paul Tonko (D, WFP, I, WEP) vs. Francis Vitollo (R, C, Ref)

After a failed challenge to unseat Democratic Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy, “Joe” Vitollo is now running against Tonko, a four-term incumbent. Tonko, who also served for more than 20 years in the Assembly, has name recognition and strong base of support in the district.

NY-21: Elise Stefanik (R, C, I, REF) vs. Mike Derrick (D, WFP) vs. Matthew Funiciello (G)

Derrick, a retired Army colonel and missile defense expert, is challenging Stefanik, a freshman congresswoman. Early polling has found Stefanik in a strong position to win re-election, even with third-party candidate Funiciello in the mix. She also maintains fair approval ratings.

NY-22: Kim Myers (D, WFP) vs. Claudia Tenney (R, C, REF)

Republican Assemblywoman Tenney won 41 percent of the vote against two opponents and will now face Myers, the daughter of the Dick’s Clothing and Sporting Goods founder. Myers faced no primary opponents. Retiring U.S. Rep. Richard Hanna, a Republican, was a three-term congressman when he decided to leave office.

NY-23: Thomas Reed (R, C, I, Ref) vs. John Plumb (D, WFP)

Since neither candidate faced a primary opponent, Plumb and Reed have been embroiled in a bitter fight for months. Reed’s campaign has used fake Twitter handles and the two candidates have repeatedly traded barbs. Republican Mitt Romney won the district in the 2012 presidential election.

NY-24: John Katko (R, C, I, REF) vs. Colleen Deacon (D)

Deacon easily defeated her Democratic opponents in the primary and has the support of several high-profile Democrats, including U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer. Republicans are confident they can keep the seat, though they lost the district in the previous two presidential elections.

NY-25: Louise Slaughter (D, WFP, WEP) vs. Mark Assini (R, C, I, Ref)

This November will see a rematch between Slaughter and Assini after the Republican lost to Slaughter in 2014 by fewer than 1,000 votes. Slaughter has been in Congress, though for different districts, since 1987.

NY-26: Brian Higgins (D, WFP, WEP) vs. Shelly Schratz (R, C)

Higgins has cruised to victory since he was first elected in 2004. Schratz faces an uphill battle in the heavily Democratic district.

NY-27: Chris Collins (R, C, I, Ref) vs. Diana Kastenbaum (D)

Collins has been a congressman since 2012, when he defeated now-Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. In 2014, he was re-elected by a wide margin. Kastenbaum will have to confront Collins’ name recognition and fundraising efforts to win the election.