ALBANY — The special election to fill the remainder of Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado’s vacant seat in the 19th Congressional District will be Aug. 23.
Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a proclamation June 4 confirming the date for the special election, which will fill the remainder of Delgado’s term.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat, and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican, have declared their candidacies for the special election to fill Delgado’s seat. The former congressman was sworn in May 25 to serve as Hochul’s lieutenant governor, replacing former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, who resigned in April when he faced federal bribery and fraud charges.
An additional special election will also be held Aug. 23 to fill a seat in the 23rd Congressional District after the resignation of U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, a Republican who stepped down seven months before his term ended after being accused of sexual misconduct by a female lobbyist.
“With the resignations of Congressmembers Delgado and Reed, I am declaring a special election to fill these vacancies and ensure continued representation for the residents of the 19th and 23rd Congressional Districts,” Hochul noted in a statement. “I look forward to developing a productive relationship with the next representatives from the 19th and 23rd Congressional Districts as we work together to deliver for New York in our nation’s capital.”
While Ryan and Molinaro will square off in the special election to serve the remainder of Delgado’s term in 2022, the county executives have opted to run in separate congressional races in November, with Ryan a candidate for the newly drawn 18th Congressional District and Molinaro running in the 19th district.
On the same day that he competes with Ryan in the special election Aug. 23, Molinaro is running in the GOP primary against Brandon Buccola for the Republican nod for the 19th Congressional District race in November.
In the Democratic primary Aug. 23, attorney Josh Riley, small business owner Jamie Cheney and OutHudson Executive Director Osun Zotique will compete for the party’s slot in the fall general election.
The 19th district comprises all of Greene and Columbia counties, as well as portions of Ulster, Dutchess, Rensselaer and Schoharie counties.
Ryan is set face off with entrepreneur Michael Berean in the Democratic primary in the 18th district Aug. 23. State Assemblyman Colin J. Schmitt, R-Orange, has announced a run for the Republican nod in the 18th Congressional District.
After the state’s congressional maps were thrown out in state court after they were ruled unconstitutional, special master Jonathan Cervas was tasked with redrawing the maps.
The 18th district now contains portions of Ulster County, and after falling to Delgado in the Democratic primary for the 19th district in 2108, Ryan has now opted to run in the 18th district.
“With finalized maps, it’s go time,” Ryan announced May 21. “I’m all in to protect Rep. Antonio Delgado’s seat in the upcoming August special election and to win in NY-18 in November. To fight for and serve the community that’s always had my back.”
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro will face off with Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan in a special election on Aug. 23 to serve the remainder of Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado’s term in the 19th Congressional District.