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Audio Feature: WGXC Congressional Report 20220124

Jan 22, 2022 11:04 am

Here is this week's WGXC Congressional Report, tracking the votes, statements, positions, and campaigns of the representatives and candidates for the 19th and 20th Congressional seats in New York. Current Democrat Reps. Antonio Delgado and Paul Tonko vote with the positions of President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, according to the fivethirtyeight.com website. Click here to listen to this report.

So far at least five candidates have announced they want to replace Rep. Paul Tonko in whatever ends up being the 20th Congressional District. Right now that includes all of Albany County, and much of the Capital District, but redistricting may not be resolved for weeks, so speculation on an election without a defined district is difficult. But so far, Jack Fallon-Underwood, Justin Chaires, Cole Matthews, and Rostislav Rar are running in the Democratic primary election June 28. Nick Reisman reports at New York State of Politics that Tonko wants the lines drawn too. "I just hope we're given district lines as soon as possible because the petitioning date is just around the corner," Tonko said. "I'd like to know what my district is going to look like, and if it's divided where I'm going to go from that point on." Democrats now control redistricting in the legislature, and the article asks, "Will Democrats try to make life more difficult for [Elise] Stefanik? Or make re-election easier for [Antonio] Delgado?" Tonko's blue district, which lies between Stefanik's now red district to the north, and Delgado's purple district to the south, will be altered if Democrats attempt to help one or the other of the nearby swing districts. New York Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs said, "Republicans across the country are redrawing congressional lines to favor their candidates. Without being obnoxious in New York, if lines are drawn with communities and help Democrats then that is the course we should take." Republican Liz Joy lost to Tonko in 2020, and is also running again this year.

This week WGXC interviewed Jack Fallon-Underwood, who is among the candidates challenging Tonko in the 20th Congressional District Democratic primary in June. Click here to download or play an excerpt of the interview, or go here to download or play the entire interview.

The Mid-Hudson News Network is reporting U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado touted his congressional record during a tele-town hall on January 18. In the three years that Delgado has been in office, he has had 18 of his bills passed and signed into law. The Rhinebeck Democrat told everyone on the telephone town hall session that each of those measures was for the benefit of his constituents in New York's 19th Congressional District. Of the 18 Delgado bills signed into law, 10 were under President Trump and eight during the first year of the Biden administration, Delgado said. “From addressing the needs of our farmers to supporting our veterans to empowering our small businesses, to protecting against toxins like PFOS, the focus is always on delivering for communities,” he said. Delgado was joined on the call by Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith, to address the latest concerns about the pandemic. Other topics addressed during the one-hour session included supporting the workforce and protecting voting rights. Delgado is being challenged by the current Dutchess County Executive, Republican Marc Molinaro. Read more in the Daily Freeman.

Click here for an excerpt of Delgado's town hall meeting (in full below).

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