Political scientist: Defeating Tonko, Stefanik a ‘very, very tough enterprise’

Political scientist: Defeating Tonko, Stefanik a ‘very, very tough enterprise’

By Tyler A. McNeil/The Leader-Herald CAPITAL REGION — It's up to independent and potentially rogue registered voters to unseat two household names from Congress. It's only happened twice in the last 20 years within comparatively purple districts for Democrats: Kirsten Gillibrand ousting Rep. John Sweeney in 2006; and Antonio Delgado ousting Rep. John Faso in 2018. It happened once for a moderate Republican when Chris Gibson defeated Rep. Scott Murphy in 2010. Neither incumbent ran again. If Democrat Matt Castelli's and Republican Liz Joy's hopes come true, toppling Rep. Elise Stefanik R-21 and Paul Tonko D-20, respectively, they'll join the…
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Stefanik, Tonko appear on solid footing with proposed redistricting maps

Stefanik, Tonko appear on solid footing with proposed redistricting maps

ALBANY — A less-convoluted, more Republican-friendly map was offered Monday that would put the entire Capital Region and much of the Mohawk Valley in just two congressional districts: NY-20 and NY-21. Incumbents Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, and Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, are running for re-election in NY-20 and NY-21, respectively.  Both said Monday they'll continue their campaigns for those districts. But if the draft map issued Monday stands, and if both incumbents win, Tonko would become one of Stefanik's constituents — his home would be in NY-21. There's no requirement that members of Congress live in the district they represent, only that…
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