State Sen. Biaggi opens campaign office in New Rochelle amid congressional map turmoil

Gov. Kathy Hochul and AG Letitia James have appealed a decision by a New York Supreme Court judge this week that called newly drawn congressional districts "unconstitutional."

State Sen. Allesandra Biaggi opened her new campaign office Saturday in New Rochelle in the states' newly drawn 3rd Congressional District. It spans five counties along the Long Island Sound - including parts of Westchester, the Bronx, Queens and northern Long Island.

"The fact that this decision is being appealed, means it is stayed,” she explained. “Which means the lines stay as they are, meaning that we all continue to run in the races we are all running in in the lines that we are all aware of that are new, and we continue to gather signatures for petitions because they are due in only a few days."

Political consultant and election attorney Johnathan Murtagh says she does not really have a choice in the matter.

"She can't just stop her campaign. She can't just sit and wait. So yes, there are questions out there as to what exactly the district lines are going to be but she has to keep moving forward – and she can only move forward on the assumption that things won't change," says Murtagh.

Judge Patrick McAllister said there was clear evidence that the map was drawn with a political bias, giving Democrats an unfair advantage. McAllister ordered new maps to be drawn with a deadline of April 11.

According to Sen. Biaggi, "We are going to see what happens after the appeal, but we feel very optimistic that the appeal will overturn the lower court's decision."