After a busy weekend digesting the final, redrawn New York State Congressional maps that impacted who's running and in which districts, political leaders around the state are meeting with the new candidates so their committees can decide on potential endorsements.
That includes Anne Hart, chair of the Sullivan County Democratic Committee, who is meeting this afternoon in Liberty with Jamie Cheney, one of two Democrats now running for the 19th District in November. Last night, Hart met with the other Democrat in the race, Josh Riley, at the Roscoe Diner.
Both Cheney and Riley confirmed the meetings in separate interviews with The SullivanTimes. It's unclear at press time if any other local Democratic leaders attended yesterday's meeting with Riley or will join Hart today for the meeting with Cheney.
The winner of a summer primary between Cheney and Riley will face Republican Mark Molinaro, the Dutchess County Executive, in November.
Before that, though, there will be a special election that pits Molinaro against Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan to fill the vacancy that was created when Congressman Antonio Delgado was appointed as Lt. Governor-designate earlier this month. The winner of that special election will serve out the remainder of Delgado's term through the end of the year.
Regardless of the special election, Ryan is running in November as a declared Democratic candidate for the new 18th Congressional District that includes most of his hometown Ulster County.
Delgado will be sworn in at Lt. Governor on May 25. Then, upon Delgado's official resignation from Congress, Governor Kathy Hochul will announce a special election date for the Congressional seat.
Delgado faces multiple opponents in his Democrat primary for Lt. Governor on June 28.
Editor's Note: The SullivanTimes has interviewed Riley and Cheney on a wide variety of issues and will publish those stories later this week. And, we expect to have stories in coming weeks on Ryan and Molinaro.