Democrat Pat Ryan beats Republican Marc Molinaro in special House race in bellwether New York district

Pat Ryan
(Image credit: Cindy Schultz for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Democrat Pat Ryan, a combat veteran and Ulster County executive, narrowly defeated Republican Marc Molinaro in a special election in New York's 19th Congressional District, The Associated Press and other news organizations projected late Tuesday. The seat was vacated when former Rep. Antonio Delgado (D) became New York's lieutenant governor, and Ryan will serve the final four months of Delgado's term while campaigning for a full term in the newly redrawn 18th District.

President Biden won the district by about 1.5 percentage points, but polls had shown Molinaro winning, especially before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. Ryan then made access to abortion a central focus of his campaign, turning the swing district into "a potential test of the impact that the recent Supreme Court decision on abortion might have on the midterm elections," The New York Times reports. Molinaro, who is running in the newly redrawn 19th District in November, campaigned on the economy, crime, and baby formula shortages.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.