Democratic challenger Josh Riley flips NY 19th District House seat in upset victory

Josh Riley defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro successful an upset triumph flipping the spot to the Democrats arsenic the party looked to summation a House majority.

The race, a bitter rematch from 2022, saw Riley triumph by a scant 7,000 votes, a borderline of 51-49, uncertified ballot returns showed aft the polls closed, according to the Associated Press. 

The combat to correspond New York’s 19th legislature district, which stretches from the state’s borderline with Massachusetts to the Finger Lakes region, was 1 of six highly competitory House races successful New York.

Republicans currently clasp a majority successful the House by an eight-seat margin. New York, typically a deep-blue state, emerged arsenic a battleground this year, with respective seats seen arsenic imaginable to flip backmost to Democrats. 

As of aboriginal Wednesday, it’s excessively soon to archer which absorption the House volition go.

Immigration, a major contented for the state aft an influx of migrants arriving from the confederate border, and termination rights featured heavy successful the race. 

Molinaro has sought to nexus Riley to what helium has said are failed borderline policies. Previously a much mean Republican, this predetermination rhythm Molinaro has embraced erstwhile President Trump and much hard-right ideologies. 

In September, Molinaro repeated a debunked conspiracy mentation that Haitian immigrants successful Springfield, Ohio, had been eating pets — which helium laced into governmental attacks wherever helium claimed Riley enabled migrants to illegally participate the U.S. erstwhile moving arsenic counsel for the U.S. Senate. 

Riley, an attorney, has jabbed the digit close backmost astatine his opponent, pointing retired that the influx of migrants from the confederate borderline happened nether his ticker arsenic Congressman. He has besides criticized Molinaro for repeatedly voting to restrict termination access.

Molinaro, who besides was the Republican nominee moving for politician against erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo successful 2018, defeated Riley by little than 2 points successful 2022.