ALBANY, NY (AP) – Five seats in the New York House were still undecided Wednesday morning and Republicans could take their largest share of the state delegation in 20 years.
The closest battles include the one in the Hudson Valley between Democratic Rep Sean Patrick Maloney and his Republican challenger Mike Lawler, an adviser who held a slight lead on Wednesday morning.
The Associated Press has not declared a winner, but Maloney, who chairs the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, admitted defeat in a phone call to Lawler, his campaign reported.
“I don’t like to lose, but my opponent won this race and he won it correctly,” Maloney said at a press conference in Washington. “And that means something. So I step aside. And I had a good run. “
Additionally, Republicans have won at least seven of the 26 seats New York will have in the legislature next year, one fewer than today. The Republicans led by at least one point in five other races.
In suburban Nassau County, east of New York City, Republican councilor Anthony D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective, had a slim advantage over Democrat Laura Gillen.
Dutchess County Clerk Marc Molinaro, a Republican, led Democrat Josh Riley to a newly created district that stretches from the Massachusetts border to the Finger Lakes in the state’s center.
In and around Syracuse, Republican Brandon Williams led Democrat Francis Conole in a bid to succeed in retired Republican John Katko.
In another Hudson Valley borough, Democrat Pat Ryan narrowly defended his seat against Republican councilor Colin Schmitt. He accepted defeat, even though the AP did not declare a winner.
Democrats have retained many of the best jobs in the state, including the governorship, the Senate seat, and the attorney general.
But voter dissatisfaction was felt in the suburbs.
The Democrats were hurt when their attempt to reorganize the district in a way that would have given them a great advantage failed.
The courts overturned the maps approved by the legislator and sanctioned by Governor Kathy Hochul for procedural errors and excessive bias. A clerk drew the new maps, which prioritize the competition.
The result was the closest racing series since the late 1990s, when Republicans won 13 of New York’s 31 boroughs.
