Top House Democrat Maloney Ousted by Lawler in New York Race

Carly Wanna, Hadriana Lowenkron and Christian Richey
·3 min read
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(Bloomberg) -- US Representative Sean Patrick Maloney, who led the Democratic Party’s efforts to retain control of Congress, has lost to Republican state Assemblyman Mike Lawler in the race to represent portions of New York’s Hudson Valley.

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Maloney phoned Lawler on Wednesday morning to concede in the 17th Congressional District, even though the Associated Press hadn’t called the race yet. Lawler had 50.6% of the vote to Maloney’s 49.4% with 98% of votes counted as of 12:01 p.m., according to AP.

It was a humiliating setback for Maloney, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the political arm of the caucus. Maloney was unable to capitalize on high-profile campaign visits by heavyweight Democrats like former President Bill Clinton and stave off Republicans and their super-PAC supporters, who pumped millions of dollars into the race to oust the 56-year-old incumbent and send a symbolic message to the Democratic Party.

I’m “not going to whine about it,” Maloney said at a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday. “I don’t like to lose, but my opponent won this race and he won it fair and square. And that means something, so I’m going to step aside. I had a good run.”

Maloney said that Democrats stood their ground across the US and that the DCCC would hold a call with the Democratic caucus to discuss the results. He said President Joe Biden should feel “encouraged” as lawmakers “go back to work.”

Lawler, a 36-year-old former political consultant, zeroed in on worries over crime in the New York City suburbs and focused on economic issues. He steered away from his anti-abortion views and pledged not to vote for any federal restrictions on reproductive rights, calling it a state issue.

“Whether you voted for me or not, whether you agree with my politics or not, I will do my best to fight for your family, to fight for your children and to make sure that our voices are heard,” Lawler said at a briefing at the Rockland County Courthouse on Wednesday.

Democrats in New York were hurt by an attempted power grab during a once-a-decade state redistricting fight earlier this year. In an attempt to gain a huge partisan advantage, Democratic lawmakers created a map that would have given the party as many as 22 of 26 seats.

But the gerrymandered map was ruled unconstitutional by the state’s highest court and ordered redrawn. The new map created by a court-appointed special master and approved by a judge in a rural upstate county put more seats in play and sent Democrats rushing to play defense.

“Democrats are both defending and facing tougher campaigns here,” Eric Koch, founder of Democratic strategic consulting fim Downfield, said before the results were announced. “That’s just the effect of the maps that were drawn.”

Read More: New York’s Redistricting Chaos Creates House Election Intrigue

Nadler Remains

Democratic Representative Jerrold Nadler will continue his 30-plus years of congressional service after winning in his redrawn New York City district, beating Republican Mike Zumbluskas and independent Mike Itkis.

Redistricting led to an awkward August primary race for Nadler, who chose to run in a new district that pitted Nadler, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, against fellow incumbent Carolyn Maloney, chair of the House Oversight Committee. Nadler beat Maloney, garnering 55% of the vote.

Read More: NY Primary Puts Democratic Establishment Power on Display

Jones Is Out

It also led to the ousting of Democratic Representative Mondaire Jones, who represents the old 17th District. One of the first Black openly gay members of Congress, Jones, 35, switched districts after Sean Patrick Maloney announced his intention to run in the redrawn 17th district.

Jones had been considered a rising star in the progressive arm of the House but moved from the Hudson Valley to run in New York City’s 10th District during the primary race, where he lost out to Levi Strauss heir Dan Goldman.

(Adds comments from Lawler in seventh paragraph)

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