Rep. Pat Ryan beats Republican Alison Esposito, staving off GOP expansion in NYC suburbs

Democratic New York Rep. Pat Ryan won reelection Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Alison Esposito in a race that focused heavily on criticizing President Biden’s administration.

Ryan, whose 18th District includes all of Orange and most of Dutchess and Ulster Counties, was crowned the winner by The Associated Press as uncertified election results showed him leading over Esposito by more than 40,000 ballots with nearly all votes counted.

Heading into Tuesday’s election, Ryan was the only House Democrat from New York facing a challenge that polling experts deemed highly competitive. His race against Esposito, a former NYPD officer who ran unsuccessfully for New York lieutenant governor in 2022, became heavily focused on distancing themselves and outright criticizing Biden’s administration, especially on issues related to the U.S. southern border.

Ryan, a U.S. Army combat veteran, teamed up with local Republicans in assailing Biden over his handling of the border, a position that likely earned him support from centrist-leaning constituents. Meantime, the incumbent painted Esposito as too extreme for his suburban district, noting she has been a prominent booster of former President Donald Trump, who’s deeply unpopular in New York.

The Ryan-Esposito race took on outsize importance for both parties due to GOP victories in neighboring New York City-adjacent districts in the 2022 midterms.

Five other New York House races, all in the city’s northern and eastern suburbs, have been seen as among the most competitive in the country in this election cycle. As the GOP currently controls the House by a slim, eight-seat margin, the six New York races are seen as key in determining which party will control the House next year.

It was too early to tell late Tuesday which party will earn a majority in the 435-seat House, as ballots continued to be tallied in races across the country.