The chairman of House Democrats’ campaign arm conceded his race in New York despite the fact that his party staved off a GOP onslaught.
Representative Sean Patrick Maloney conceded to Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District. Mr Maloney announced earlier this year that he would run in New York’s 17th District after New York’s courts rejected the state legislature’s redistricted map which would have shored up Democrats.
But Mr Maloney’s move meant that Representative Mondaire Jones, a freshman Black progressive incumbent, would have faced a primary against Mr Maloney when he had considerably more resources. As a result, Mr Jones attempted to run in New York’s 10th District, which he ultimately lost in a crowded primary.
Mr Jones tweeted only a one-word response to Mr Maloney’s loss.
“Yikes,” he said.
MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki noted that he was the first party campaign chairman to lose their race since 1992.
In addition, Mr Maloney did away easily with his progressive primary challenger, state Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
Mr Maloney also courted controversy when, as chairman of the DCCC, he allocated resources toward advertisements that boosted election-denying Republicans in primaries against Republicans who voted to impeach former president Donald Trump.
That moved angered Democrats ranging from moderates like Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
But Mr Maloney faced a tougher race than expected in Mr Lawler.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez called for the resignation of New York’s Democratic Party leadership, including that of Chairman Jay Jacobs.
“NYS Dem party leadership, which was gutted under Cuomo, stuffed with lobbyists, works to boost GOP, and failed to pass a basic state ballot measure to protect NY redistricting, must be accountable,” she tweeted. “I called for Jay Jacob’s resignation a year ago and I still hold that position.”
Mr Maloney’s loss comes despite the fact that many Democrats won re-election despite a normally tough midterm environment given President Joe Biden’s low approval rating.
