Candidates for New York's 18th and 19th Congressional Districts are making their cases to voters in a series of debates. On Wednesday, Democratic U.S. Representative Pat Ryan and Republican Alison Esposito, candidates for the 18th District, debated issues including Donald Trump's fitness for office, abortion, and border security. The debate was aired on PIX11. The 18th District covers the mid-Hudson Valley, including Orange County and parts of Dutchess and Ulster counties.
Ryan criticized Trump, while Esposito claimed Trump is facing "political prosecutions." On the topic of abortion, Ryan accused Esposito of supporting a ban with no exceptions in New York. Esposito, in turn, claimed Ryan isn't serious about border security.
Meanwhile, the candidates for the 19th Congressional District, Republican Congressman Marc Molinaro and Democrat Josh Riley, are set to debate tonight. The race between these two politicians is considered a toss-up weeks before Election Day. The debate will be streamed at timesunion.com. The 19th District covers Greene, Sullivan, and Columbia counties.
According to the New Pine Plains Herald, Molinaro, who won the seat in the 2022 midterms with 50.8% of the vote, is running for re-election on a platform emphasizing his experience in local government. His opponent, Josh Riley, who garnered 49.2% of the vote in the same election, is focusing his campaign on rebuilding the middle class and curbing corporate influence in politics.