Pat Ryan defeats Marc Molinaro in 19th Congressional special election

Ulster County will soon have a new county executive, and Pat Ryan will represent the county, as well as the rest of the 19^th Congressional District, in Congress through the end of the year.

Dutchess County, meanwhile, will have Marc Molinaro in charge for at least a few more months.

Ryan fended off Molinaro in a special election Tuesday for the vacated 19^th district seat, in unofficial results.

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Ryan, a Gardiner Democrat, joined the race in May after Rhinebeck Democrat Antonio Delgado abandoned is pursuit of a third term to become the state’s lieutenant governor. Molinaro, a Red Hook Republican and Dutchess’ county executive, had been challenging Delgado since announcing his candidacy in September.

"Choice was on the ballot. Freedom was on the ballot, and tonight choice and freedom won," Ryan posted on Facebook shortly before 1 a.m. "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. NY-19, it will be my honor to serve you in Congress."

Molinaro issued a statement around noon Wednesday, blaming Democratic primaries in the 18th and 19th districts for helping to push Democrats to the polls. He also reiterated his displeasure with Gov. Kathy Hochul's statements in Kingston Monday indicating Republicans who "don't represent our values," should leave New York.

"Everyone in this district, in America, deserves a government that respects and serves them," he said. "In November, help is on the way as I’ll be running in a new district, with a new opponent − and we will continue to offer solutions for all families in upstate New York.”

Molinaro did not reference Ryan in that statement, but issued another around eight hours later on social media, which he called his "full statement." It was nearly identical to the first, but with a new first paragraph in which he said he called Ryan to congratulate him, and said he would "do my part to help in service to our shared community."

Molinaro did not respond to inquiries to speak directly.

According to Ulster County’s charter, Deputy County Executive Johanna Contreras will assume the county executive position when Ryan is sworn into Congress, but only until a special election is held and a winner is certified.

Molinaro based his campaign in recent weeks on the faltering economy and public safety, tying Ryan to complaints with the leadership of Democrats Hochul and President Joe Biden.

Ryan likewise discussed economic solutions, but focused on personal freedoms, namely abortion rights. He often framed issues through the lens of his military background. Ryan is a U.S. Army veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

"Pat’s win sends a clear message that voters are fighting back against Republicans’ extreme attacks on abortion rights and their fundamental freedoms," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Sean Patrick Maloney, who represents the 18th district and won a primary in the 17th district Tuesday, said in a statement.

Ryan garnered 51.07% of the vote to Molinaro’s 48.75%, according to the state Board of Elections. More than 129,000 ballots were cast, not counting absentees, of roughly 476,000 active registered voters in the district.

While Ryan won his home county by more than 9,000 votes, Molinaro only narrowly outgained Ryan in Dutchess, by roughly 800 votes.

Ryan will hold the 19^th seat through the balance of Delgado’s term at the end of this year, when the winner of the November general election is sworn in.

In November, Ryan is running for the 18^th district seat after winning a primary in a romp Tuesday. He’ll face Republican Colin Schmitt, who was nominated without a primary.

Molinaro will try again for the redrawn 19^th district seat in November against Ithaca Democrat Josh Riley, who defeated Rhinebeck’s Jamie Cheney in a primary Tuesday.

The districts will change drastically under the new map for November, to be used over the next decade.

The current 19^th district includes all of Ulster, Columbia, Sullivan Delaware, Greene, Otsego, and Schoharie counties and plus parts of Broome, Dutchess, Montgomery and Rensselaer counties.

The redrawn 19th begins at the Dutchess/Columbia border, meaning Molinaro would no longer represent his native county. The district will include Columbia, Sullivan, Broome, Tioga, Tompkins, Cortland, Chenango, Delaware and Greene counties, as well as portions of Otsego and Ulster counties.

In addition to boundaries, the districts have demographic differences. According to Board of Elections statistics, there were roughly 39,500 more registered Democrats than Republicans and Conservatives in the current 19th district as of February, but roughly more than 18,000 more Democrats than Republicans and Conservatives in the new 19th as of June.

The redrawn 18^th includes all of Orange County, part of Ulster and most of Dutchess; East Fishkill and Pawling and part of Beekman in Dutchess are in the 17^th.

The current 18th had roughly 46,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans and Conservatives in February, compared to a roughly 52,000 margin under the new lines in June.

Ryan was first elected Ulster’s executive in a May 2019 special election and won a full term in November 2019. He replaced Ulster’s first executive, Mike Hein.

The special election for Ulster County Executive will “be held no later than 90 days from the date” Ryan leaves office, and the electee “shall serve for the balance of the unexpired term commencing 30 days from the date of the certification by the Board of Elections,” according to the charter.

Contreras was appointed deputy county executive in January, having previously worked in New York City’s Office of Management and Budget as the assistant director for education.

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: 19th Congressional: Pat Ryan defeats Marc Molinaro in special election