Gashi Stays in Race Against Bowman in NY-16
By Dan Murphy
Several unforeseen developments in the races for Congress in NY affecting Westchester have resulted in one of Westchester’s Congressional representatives, Mondaire Jones, deciding to run for a House seat in Brooklyn. Jones’ decision results from a recent redistricting order that redrew the congressional lines for New York State.
That decision, by Special Master Jonathan Cervas, resulted in Westchester’s three congressional districts, 16, 17, 18, revised with new boundaries. Rep. Jones, who currently represents the 17th District, (Westchester and Rockland Counties) has decided to run in a democratic primary against Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. Rep. Maloney, currently represents the 18th district, but the new 18th runs further north into the Hudson valley, and Maloney now lives in the new 17th.
Immediately after the new lines were announced, Maloney proclaimed that he was running in the new 17th, putting Rep. Jones in the odd position of having to run against Maloney, or to run against Congressman Jamaal Bowman in the 16th Congressional district.
“The final maps released today are the result of partisan politics–drawn by an out-of-state, Republican court appointee who has shown utter disregard for cultural, social, and economic communities of interest. It is designed to reduce the number of NY Democrats in Congress. I have decided to run for another term in Congress in #NY10. This is the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Since long before the Stonewall Uprising, queer people of color have sought refuge within its borders. I’m excited to make my case for why I’m the right person to lead this district forward and to continue my work in Congress to save our democracy from the threats of the far right. In my first term in Congress, I have worked hard to deliver real results for New York State,” tweeted Jones.
Jones decided that it would be better for his political future to run against former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio in NY 10, which includes parts of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, than to challenge Maloney, who is the powerful chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, DCCC.
The 16th congressional district in NY was changed to include less of the Bronx, but all of lower and mid Westchester. The 16th no longer runs into northern Westchester and Putnam County. Congressman Jamaal Bowman, from Yonkers, is seeking his 2nd term to represent the 16th.
Bowman’s opponent will continue to be Westchester County legislator Vedat Gashi. Gashi, who lives in Yorktown in Northern Westchester, no longer lives in the new 16th, but announced on May 21 that he is going to challenge Bowman in a democratic primary in August regardless.
“After discussing with my family & team I’m excited to confirm I will continue my pursuit of Congress in #NY16. District lines have changed, but my reason for running has not. We’re focused on bringing our country together to deliver actual progress for everyday New Yorkers,” tweeted Gashi, who is running as a more moderate democratic alternative to the progressive Rep. Bowman.
