Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, House Democrats' campaign chair, soundly defeats progressive challenger
Published Date: 8/24/2022
Source: axios.com

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday beat back a fierce primary challenge from progressive state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi by a roughly two-to-one margin in New York's 17th District, according to the AP.

Why it matters: Maloney's win heads off a potential PR nightmare for House Democrats: the chair of their campaign arm losing his re-election in a year in which they're already widely seen as being on the back foot.


The backdrop: Maloney, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, angered many in his own party by opting to run in a district largely represented by Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) after a chaotic redistricting process.

What's next: While Maloney now turns his attention to helping colleagues win their elections in November, he's not out of the woods yet on his own reelection.

What they're saying: “Voters in the Hudson Valley have spoken: they want leaders who will put partisanship aside to get real results," Maloney said in a statement.

  • Maloney thanked Biaggi for "running a good race," adding that the primary "made us stronger."
  • He added: "Now is the time to come together and ensure the Hudson Valley resoundly rejects the radical, anti-choice, pro-gun policies of MAGA Republican Mike Lawler.”

The other side: Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said his Democratic counterpart "failed the Hudson Valley with his incompetence, self-serving politics, and far-left extremism."

  • "Maloney will be out of a job this November when voters reject his progressive agenda that’s brought about historic inflation and a violent crime wave," he said.