Battleground Dem says Harris ticket helps him

Rep. Pat Ryan , a Democrat who represents a New York swing district, said it will be easier for him to win reelection with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket instead of President Joe Biden “without question.”

“Coming out of the DNC, and for the last now month plus, we have just seen such energy, such enthusiasm, such true joy and optimism at a time when even this morning in your coverage, it's a challenging, dark and divided time,” Ryan said in an interview with Margaret Brennan on CBS’ "Face the Nation" on Sunday morning.

“That's what people in my district are desperate for.”

The Hudson Valley Democrat was one of over 30 congressional Democrats who called on Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race, including many other Democrats who faced tough reelection. Ryan added that he thought there is “no doubt” Democrats have a better path to gaining a majority in the House with Harris now as the nominee.

Earlier in the week, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said that path goes through a handful of seats in New York , including Ryan’s district. But Ryan said it has been “a sea change” watching Harris at the top of the ticket and he has seen a new energy in his district.

“I won my last race by 1.3 percent. [I’m] very attuned to what's happening in my district and talking to folks all day, every day,” said Ryan, who is facing Republican Alison Esposito in November. “It has been just kind of putting rocket fuel into a jet engine and seeing blast off.”

Brennan also asked Ryan about abortion, which while protected up to 24 weeks in New York, being on the ballot and whether that is intended to drive out turnout for Democrats in the state. But Ryan said that abortion will be “a huge issue” in his district and that people have not forgotten about the Supreme Court appointees from former President Donald Trump that helped upend the Roe v. Wade decision.

“The founding ideology of our country is about freedom,” Ryan said. “There have been more states across the country taking away American freedoms. Want to piss off the American people? Take their freedom away.”