New York Republicans successfully defended a pair of congressional swing districts even as Democrats appeared to take back at least two House seats that the GOP flipped in 2022, preliminary Election Day results show.
But the Democrats’ claimed wins in the Empire State likely won’t matter as Republicans clinched control of the US Senate, vied for reclaiming the House of Representatives and held a narrow lead in the race for the presidency early Wednesday.
Perhaps the highest-profile GOP victory came as Republican Rep. Mike Lawler declared late Tuesday that he gave former Congress member Mondaire Jones an “ass kicking” in a closely matchup.
Lawler strode out to cheers and the sound of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” late Tuesday as early results showed him ahead 55% to Jones’ 43%, according to Associated Press results from the lower Hudson Valley race.
“What an absolute ass kicking!” Lawler told the victory party crowd.
“Tonight the Hudson Valley told Mondaire Jones to ‘Beat It’!”
Republicans had hopes to expand their electoral foothold in New York’s congressional delegation after unexpectedly helping give the GOP take control of Congress in the 2022 midterms — but their dreams of further gains in the deeply blue Empire State were on the ropes late Election Night.
Democrats appeared to reclaim at least two congressional seats that Republicans flipped two years ago — with a clear win in one race, a candidate declaring victory in another and a wide lead in a third contest in a battleground district.
Dem John Mannion unseated Rep. Brandon Williams in the upstate 22nd Congressional District, after the Associated Press projected Mannion as the winner.
He carried nearly 54% of the vote to Williams’ 46%, with 81% of ballots counted.
The victory came as Democrat Laura Gillen declared victory over GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in the Fourth Congressional District, covering Long Island’s South Shore through central Nassau County.
But D’Esposito refused to concede, as roughly 6,000 votes separated the candidates as per the latest tallies after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
“That goes with the brand, doesn’t it?” said Jay Jacobs, the chair of the New York State Democratic Committee.
“The bottom line is I don’t see a path to him winning. And I understand — look it’s hard to lose a congressional seat on a human level I feel badly for him — but at the end of the day Laura Gillen will be the congresswoman and she will be sworn in and that’s all that counts.”
Meanwhile, Democrat Josh Riley was locked in a tight race with Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro in the upstate 19th Congressional District.
At press time, Molinaro was down about 13,000 votes with 97% of the vote counted — a margin that he appeared unlikely to be able to make up.
“While we would have liked to end tonight with more votes, we want be sure every absentee and affidavit is counted,” he said in a statement early Wednesday. “I’m so grateful to my family, friends, and supporters, and will have more to say in the coming days.”
Meanwhille, Democratic incumbent Rep. Pat Ryan was also projected to hold his battleground seat over Republican challenger Alison Esposito in a tight suburban district, according to the Associated Press.
Ryan racked up nearly 58% of votes compared to Esposito’s 42%, with 94% of ballots tallied.
The 18th Congressional District covering Orange, Dutchess and Ulster counties was one of the most competitive races in the 2024 election, as Democrats hoped to wrest Republicans’ razor-thin control of the House.
On Long Island, Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi claimed victory late Tuesday and is expected to retain control of disgraced former GOP Rep. George Santos’ old seat.
Suozzi carried 51% of votes, while his Republican challenger Michael LiPetri Jr. snagged 49%, with 98% of expected ballots tallied, according to the Associated Press.
Another Long Island incumbent congressman also claimed victory — but this time for the Republicans.
Freshman Republican Rep. Nick LaLota handily defeated Democratic challenger John Avlon 55% to 44% in a battle for a congressional seat on Long Island’s East End, according to the Associated Press.
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