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Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan has won the Democratic primary in New York's 18th Congressional District, setting up a fight with state Assemblyman Colin Schmitt, the Republican nominee.

Ryan beat out two competitors for the Democratic nod in the Hudson Valley district, while Schmitt was unopposed as the Republican nominee. The redrawn 18th District will be a competitive seat and was left open when Democratic Congressional Committee Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) decided to run in the new 17th District, which was more favorable to Democrats.

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Ryan is also on the ballot for the special election in the old 19th District and if he wins would have the advantage of being an incumbent in his bid for a full term representing the 18th District. In that campaign, he focused on upholding abortion access and addressed economic concerns by pledging to go "after price-gougers who are harming customers, guarantee middle-class voters get a tax cut, and make sure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share."

Schmitt, who has served in the state legislature since 2019, has listed as his top priorities reducing crime, lowering gas prices, immigration reform, and ensuring parental rights in education. He is a sergeant in the Army National Guard.

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The new district is rated as a "toss-up" by the Cook Political Report, "lean Republican" by RealClearPolitics, and "lean Democrat" by Inside Elections, signaling uncertainty about the new electorate.

Maloney sparked vicious Democratic infighting by announcing that he would not seek reelection in the new version of his district, instead launching his reelection bid in the safer 17th District, which at the time was represented by Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY). Rather than endure a member-on-member primary, Jones moved into the open 10th District, which covers parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

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Pat Ryan wins Democratic nomination in New York's 18th District - Washington Examiner