Democrat Pat Ryan won a special election Tuesday for Hudson Valley’s 19th Congressional District, emerging victorious in a contest seen as a bellwether ahead of the fall midterms.
The Ulster County executive beat former Republican gubernatorial candidate and Dutchess County executive Marc Molinaro and will head to Washington for the remainder of the year.
The results of the unofficial New York State Board of Elections showed Ryan leading Molinaro 51.1% to 48.8%. Reuters, NBC and others called the race in Ryan’s favor around midnight.