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Tonko faces election challenge from Democrat, Republicans
Jan 27, 2020 12:47 am
Emilie Munson in the Times Union profiles the candidates who all lack political experience running to take the 20th Congressional District away from Rep. Paul Tonko. Democrat Riley Seaburg is the first primary challenger Tonko has had since he first won the district in 2008. Seaburg is a 27-year-old disabled veteran who served in Afghanistan, and has also worked as an insurance agent, a National Guard equipment repairer, a tool attendant and an office assistant. Seaburg would not consent to an interview with the newspaper, but claims on Facebook that he "is a staunch progressive and understands the need to take money out of politics and also the need for intelligent aware progressives to serve in Congress.” The winner of the Tonko/Seaburg primary faces the winner of the Republican primary between Liz Joy and Michael Seney. Like Seaburg, both Republican candidates have never held public office before. Joy worked for the campaign of former State Senator George Amedore in 2014 and volunteered for him 2016. She is a real estate agent who served a term as president of the Republican Women of Schenectady County. Seney is a Rensselaer County sheriff's deputy who lives in Averill Park. He is a former marine who served three terms in Iraq. Both Republicans are big fans of President Donald Trump. The winners of the June primary elections face off in November. Read more about this story in the Times Union.