NY Republican Leaders Condemn Plan to Deny New Yorkers Representation in Congress

ALBANY - According to multiple reports, Albany Democrats are considering a delay in holding the expected special election in New York’s 21st Congressional district, effectively denying 800,000 New Yorkers representation in the House of Representatives. The seat is currently held by Rep. Elise Stefanik, who has been nominated by President Trump to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations.

“The Democrats are once again twisting the law to rig elections and silence New Yorkers,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt. “We will not let them rewrite the rules on the fly for their own gain at the expense of our citizens. Kathy Hochul and her allies are prepared to strip nearly 800,000 New Yorkers of their fundamental right to representation in service of a partisan agenda. Democrats claiming this move is about ‘saving costs’ are insulting the intelligence of New Yorkers who clearly understand their true intent. We are ready to use every tool at our disposal to fight these corrupt, backroom deals and defend fair elections in New York.”

“Albany Democrats aren’t planning to reform New York’s election system, they’re planning to rig it. Yet again, election laws might be changed not to serve the people, but to serve the Democratic Party’s self-interest,” Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay said. “It’s disgraceful and New Yorkers should see through it. The party that has screamed about election denials and preserving Democracy is now poised to obstruct elections and deny representation to districts that don’t align with liberal ideologies. This bill would solve nothing, but it does send a clear message: Democrats in New York have abandoned the basic principles of Democracy.”

“When Democrats can’t compete, they cheat,” said NYGOP Chair Ed Cox. “Albany Democrats’ disgraceful scheme to delay the special election for New York’s 21st Congressional District is an anti-democratic power grab. Led by Hakeem Jeffries, they are attempting to manipulate the election calendar for their own partisan advantage, and in so doing silencing North Country voters when their representation in Congress is needed most.

“This blatant abuse of power is an affront to our democratic process and another example of why New Yorkers are fed up with one-party Democrat rule. The people of NY-21 deserve a fair and timely election — not a rigged timeline dictated by desperate Democrats trying to game the system. The people of NY-21 will have their voices heard, and Republicans will fight tooth and nail to ensure it.”

Albany Democrats, corrupted by one-party rule, have a track record of undemocratic power-grabs and election manipulation in the recent past, including:

• Redistricting Power Grab: After the voters overwhelmingly approved independent redistricting, New York Democrats attempted to undermine the will of the people and restore their partisan control over district lines.
• Public Campaign Finance Scheme: Democrats changed the rules after the election to funnel even more taxpayer dollars to their candidates in an already deeply flawed public campaign finance system.
• Court of Appeals Takeover: After the judiciary blocked their unconstitutional maps, Democrats forced out the Chief Judge and installed a political ally to rubber-stamp their future election-rigging efforts.
• Ending Local Elections: Democrats approved an unconstitutional bill that would dramatically alter local elections across New York intended to nationalize every election at all levels of government and silence discussion on local issues.