New York voters heading to the polls on Tuesday, June 23, will help craft a clearer picture for November’s midterm elections.
Key primary races are taking place to determine the Democratic nominee for state comptroller as well as congressional candidates in New York’s 21st and 17th Districts.
While early voting began on June 13, day-of voting takes place on Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. for voters registered with a political party with a race in their district.
Here are the primary races to watch in New York.
DiNapoli facing two Democratic opponents in comptroller race
Incumbent New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli is facing two Democratic opponents in this year’s primary — former affordable housing nonprofit leader Drew Warshaw and former Kansas legislator Raj Goyle.
DiNapoli has held the position since 2007 and was most recently re-elected by more than 14 points in 2022. Since becoming the state’s comptroller, DiNapoli has grown the state’s pension fund, recovered millions for taxpayers and audited every school district in the state on a rotating basis, according to his campaign website.
Warshaw, a New York City native, was most recently the co-CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit that fosters the development of affordable rental homes. According to his campaign website, Warshaw plans to cut taxes, create an affordable housing fund and divest from fossil fuel companies and foreign bonds.
And Goyle, whose parents immigrated originally to Rochester, New York from India, served four years in the Kansas Legislature and ran for Congress in 2010. Some of his goals, if elected, include fighting utility rate hikes, divesting from fossil fuels and foreign bonds and investing in affordable housing, according to Goyle’s campaign website.
Assemblyman, Trump-endorsed candidate go head-to-head to replace Stefanik in NY-21
After Rep. Elise Stefanik, an 11-year House member from Saratoga County, announced she wouldn’t be running for her 7th term, the key House seat has attracted two Republican candidates — one a current state Assemblymember and another endorsed by President Donald Trump — as well as two Democratic candidates.
A typically red part of the state, the 21st Congressional District consists of Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Lewis, Hamilton, Essex, Warren, Washington, Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Schoharie, and parts of Jefferson, Oneida, and Saratoga counties and borders Canada and Vermont on two sides.
Anthony Constantino, the CEO of upstate New York-based customized sticker company Sticker Mule, is one of two Republicans running to replace Stefanik. He was endorsed by Trump earlier this year, more than a year after he erected a large “Vote for Trump” sign in Amsterdam, New York, which can be seen from the nearby New York State Thruway.
Constantino has been involved in some recent controversy as he’s publicly feuded with reporters and has been involved in a legal battle with the state Conservative party’s Chair Gerard Kassar over comments made by Kassar.
He says he’s “going into Congress with the best of intentions” and wants to use his time “to do the most good.”
His opponent, Assemblymember Robert Smullen, is a retired Marine Corps colonel who has represented the 118th Assembly District since 2019. On the federal level, Smullen served as a White House fellow under former President George W. Bush and served at the U.S. Department of Energy on critical energy policy.
Lowering energy costs through bringing fracking and pipelines to New York is one of Smullen’s main goals, if elected. He’s also aiming to close the Northern border and make sure New Yorkers’ constitutional freedoms, such as gun rights, are upheld.
And while he was not endorsed by Trump, the president previously appointed Smullen to the President’s Commission on White House Fellows during his first term in 2018.
On the other side of the aisle, local business owner Stuart Amoriell and second-generation dairy farmer Blake Gendebien are running on the Democratic ticket.
According to Amoriell’s campaign website, he’s focused on delivering “an intelligent and compassionate immigration policy, expanding affordable housing, strengthening local economies, improving health care access and supporting education and workforce development.” And Gendebien is aiming to bridge the North Country with Washington D.C., his campaign website states.
Five Democratic candidates vying to oust incumbent Lawler in NY-17 Congressional District
A crucial seat to determine which party wins control of the House of Representatives currently held by Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is embroiled in a battle of five Democratic opponents.
The 17th Congressional District covers all of Rockland and Putnam counties, the northern half of Westchester County and three southern Dutchess County towns. Here’s who’s on the ballot on Tuesday:
Conley and Davidson are the top two in fundraising, polling and endorsements. And while Phillips-Staley is No. 3, she outraised Davidson in a recent two-month period.
Conley is a former national security official during the Biden administration and was registered as an independent until she entered the race last year, which she says will help win over the district’s independent voters, along with her military service. Davidson won the county Legislature seat in 2023 and worked as a political consultant for several years before that appointment.
And Phillips-Staley, who considers herself a grassroots candidate, has been the most critical of the Israeli government as well as outspoken in her support of Palestinian rights. The Democratic candidate also supports Medicare for All, the universal health care vision, and is calling to abolish and replace U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement instead of trying to reform it.
Other upstate New York House primary races to watch
Other races to watch include in the 24th Congressional District, which includes a large portion of Ontario County, as Alissa J. Ellman and Diana A. Kastenbaum are seeking the Democratic Party designation. Ellman also carries the Working Families party line. Rep. Claudia Tenney, who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines, awaits in November.
In the 25th Congressional District, which includes a portion of Ontario County in addition to Monroe County, Rep. Joe Morelle, Robin Wilt and Sherita Traywick are seeking the Democratic line. The district includes Victor and part of East Bloomfield.
Contributing: New York State Team reporter Chris McKenna and Mike Murphy of USA TODAY Network
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers’ taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY primary races to watch and what voters should know about candidates
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York State Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Emily Barnes, New York State Team | USA TODAY Network
