New York has an unusually high number of competitive congressional races this year. In the 17th District, Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney faces Republican Mike Lawler. As CBS2’s Tony Aiello reports, it’s a key race as Republicans nationally hope to win control of the House. The breeze was strong and the turnout steady as voters across the newly drawn 17th Congressional District make their choice. Maloney and his husband, Randy Florke, voted near their Putnam County home. The MP said he was planning a quiet election day. “I like to go for a hike sometimes in the woods, to clear my head and again, I think election day is a day of respect for the voters. We had the opportunity to support our case; now, it’s up to them,” Maloney said. He added that he plans to spend time thanking campaign volunteers. MP Sean Patrick Maloney in the struggle of political life 01:24 Maloney hasn’t been in a close race since 2014, when he won by 3,000 votes. The redistricting means his district now includes many Rockland County residents he has never represented. His campaign will closely monitor returns from Peekskill, a Democratic stronghold in northern Westchester, and from Hasidic communities in Rockland, where Maloney has won the endorsement of influential rabbis. Democratic pundits are cautiously optimistic but realistic — this race has been labeled a failure. Because Maloney is leading the Democrats’ bid to hold onto Congress, Republicans would be more than happy to knock him out. Maloney emphasized election integrity, abortion rights and gun control during the campaign, while also arguing that Democratic efforts to reduce inflation are starting to pay off. It’s not just redistricting that made it a tough fight. House Republicans helped funnel more than $8 million into the district, money largely spent on political ads. Lawler tries to unseat Maloney in New York’s 17th congressional district 01:20 As CBS2’s Kevin Rincon reports, Lawler voted in Pearl River with his wife, Doina, and planned a last-minute campaign day. “I’m going to drive around the precinct. We have a truck with signs and we just go into the precinct and try to get people out to vote,” he said. Throughout his campaign, he had focused on economic issues — things like inflation and taxes — and campaigned on crime, calling for a change in bailout reform in the state. He says his team has seen some high turnout, which he hopes will help, and if he comes out on top, it will be the first time in 42 years that a Republican has won the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Voters are no doubt anxious to wrap up the race after both sides spent nearly $20 million on a barrage of attack ads. Because a judge gave the OK to count most absentee ballots Tuesday night, rather than wait until Wednesday, both campaigns expect to know the winner before nightfall.
