By: Hal C Clarke

According to an internal GOP poll, retired NYPD officer Alison Esposito has a strong chance to capture a contested congressional seat for the Republicans by unseating incumbent Democratic Representative Pat Ryan in upstate New York. Esposito, who was the running mate of GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin in 2022, recently announced her candidacy for the 18th Congressional District in the Hudson Valley.

NY Post reported on this political headline grabber.

Before Esposito entered the race, a survey conducted by the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), a super PAC supporting the House GOP majority, indicated that a Republican candidate would be in a dead heat with Ryan, each receiving 43% support, with 13% of voters remaining undecided. The survey also revealed that 42% of registered voters believed it was time to elect a new representative, while 36% supported Ryan’s re-election, with the rest still uncertain.

The poll findings suggest that President Biden, who will be at the top of the Democratic Party’s national ballot, is not very popular in the 18th Congressional District, which includes Orange County and parts of Dutchess and Ulster counties. Only 43% of voters approved of Biden’s performance as president, while 52% disapproved, including one in five Democrats.

Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul also received unfavorable ratings in the district, with only 41% of voters viewing her favorably. The CLF survey was conducted from August 1 to 3, 2024, with 400 likely general election voters, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.89 percentage points.

Upstate Representative Elise Stefanik, New York’s most powerful House Republican, has thrown her support behind Esposito’s bid to unseat Ryan. Stefanik is establishing a joint fundraising committee and has become Esposito’s first major endorser, emphasizing Esposito’s background as a former NYPD officer and her commitment to the safety and security of New Yorkers.

Esposito expressed her gratitude for Stefanik’s support, noting that she is honored to have the backing of the House GOP. She looks forward to working with Stefanik to increase the Republican majority in the House and bring common-sense American values to the Hudson Valley.

Pat Ryan, the incumbent Democrat, won his House seat by a narrow margin in 2022 against former GOP Assemblyman Colin Schmitt. He emphasized abortion rights during his campaign and secured victory in a special election in 2022. The Republican victories in New York contributed to the GOP regaining the House majority.

In response to the GOP poll findings, a spokesperson for Ryan’s campaign criticized Esposito’s positions, suggesting she aligns with far-right extremism. The spokesperson raised concerns about her stance on gun violence, abortion, and alleged associations with insurrectionist traitors.

Esposito’s campaign pushed back on these claims, stating that Ryan was misrepresenting her stance on abortion. They clarified that Esposito has never advocated for a federal abortion ban and instead supports providing more resources and options to women.