New York Democrats are enthusiastic that the wave of support for Vice President Kamala Harris’s recently announced candidacy can boost House and other down-ballot races in the state.
And if they are boosted, it could greatly contribute to Democrats flipping the House in their favor after Republicans used new seats in the state to do the same for them in 2022.
There has already been some indication that Harris will help in those races. The campaign received a monumental fundraising influx (more than $310 million in July) with her entry into the presidential election.
“Now certainly with a candidate like Kamala Harris, it’s created a boatload of enthusiasm,” Manhattan Democratic Chairman Keith Wright told Politico.
And it could change Democrats’ fate in the state, which is projected to be blue in the general election but has many battleground congressional districts.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly blamed Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY), who won by a narrower margin than expected in 2022, for losing ground in the House after several Republicans picked up seats for the party.
Hochul is adamant not to make the same mistake this year.
“She’s been putting her money where her mouth is and the top of the ticket certainly has an effect on the down-ballot,” Wright said.
The prime regions Hochul could start investing in include New York's 4th Congressional District, 17th Congressional District, and 19th Congressional District — all labeled Republican toss-ups by Cook Political Report.
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also recognizes the importance of Democrats flipping seats in the state.
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“You know what’s interesting — here in New York, we have four or five seats that are in play. We can win the House back in New York state alone, another five in California, and then, of course, others spread out all across the country,” Jeffries told MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Wednesday.
And if Democrats can flip the House, Jeffries will likely get a promotion to a new title: speaker of the House.
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