Candidates adjust campaigns to new House maps

May 17—Otsego County will be split into two different congressional districts if the proposed district maps released Monday are approved by a Steuben County Supreme Court judge on Friday, May 20.

Judge Patrick McAllister ruled last month the Democratic-led state Legislature gerrymandered U.S. House and state Senate districts to favor Democrats running for office.

Jonathan Cervas, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, was appointed by the court to redraw the maps. He released his proposed congressional maps Monday morning.

The proposed map would split Otsego County in two. The towns of Milford, Oneonta, Hartwick, New Lisbon, Morris, Laurens, Butternuts, Unadilla, Otego, and most of Pittsfield would be in District 19, of which they are part currently.

The extreme northern portion of the town of Pittsfield and the towns of Edmeston, Burlington, Otsego, Middlefield, Westford, Maryland, Worcester, Decatur, Roseboom, Cherry Valley, Springfield, Richfield, Winfield, Plainfield and Exeter would be part of the 21st District.

"It is what it is," said Caitlyn Ogden, the Otsego County Democratic Committee chair. "The master completed the maps."

Ogden said the committee is ready "to do our very best in supporting the Democratic candidates."

The proposed District 19 will include all or parts of the following counties: Columbia, Greene, Ulster, including a tiny portion of the city of Kingston, Sullivan, Delaware, Chenango, Broome, Cortland, Tompkins and Tioga.

Dutchess County, the city of Kingston and towns of Esopus, Rosendale, Marbletown, Warwarsing, Gardiner, New Paltz, Lloyd, Plattekill, Marlborough and Shawangunk in Ulster County have been moved to District 18.

Incumbent Rep. Antonio Delgado is not running after being appointed lieutenant governor by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Delgado and Republican challenger Marc Molinaro both live in Dutchess County.

Molinaro issued a statement saying he is seeking the 19th District seat. "These are all communities I've gotten to know well since my gubernatorial run in 2018. I've spent countless hours and driven thousands of miles meeting old friends and making new friends in this proposed district," he said. "I'm running to represent the New York 19th Congressional District."

Democrat Josh Riley announced his run for the 19th District seat late Monday afternoon. He had been challenging Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, in the 22nd District.

"I am pleased to announce that I will be running in the new 19th Congressional District, as currently drawn," said Riley. "New York 19 includes Broome County, where I was born and raised and where my family has lived for over 100 years, as well as Tompkins County, where I am raising my family."

Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, who announced his run for the 19th District after Delgado was appointed lieutenant governor, issued a statement that said he was going to run for the 18th District instead.

The revamped 21st District may be more competitive, Ogden said.

"We were already showing the 21st District was going to be a competitive race," she said. "Now that Cooperstown is in the district, it may be more competitive."

In addition to the towns mentioned above, the new district would include all or parts of the following counties: Schoharie, Washington, Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Herkimer, Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Hamilton, Franklin, Essex, Clinton and Warren.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Saratoga, currently holds that House seat and said she looks "forward to running for re-election in NY-21 where I have been honored and humbled to earn historic support every election cycle. I will always work my very hardest to deliver real results for the hardworking families in Upstate New York and the North Country."

She is being challenged by Democrat Matt Castelli, who also issued a statement that read in part: "As I have said all along, no matter where the lines are drawn, the people of NY-21 deserve a leader who puts country before party, unites our community, and will deliver real results for our district," he said.

McAllister is taking comments about the proposed map through Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. According to the Steuben County website, the phone number for the court is 607-622-8219.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221. Follow her @DS_VickyK on Twitter.