Bill Clinton to stump for Democrat in contested New York House race

Former President Clinton will be stumping for Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday in one of New York’s hotly contested House districts less than a week before the pivotal November midterms.

An advisory from Ryan’s campaign on Tuesday said that Clinton and Ryan would be participating in an event with military families and veterans in New Windsor, N.Y. 

Ryan won a special election in New York’s 19th Congressional District earlier this year in a race that was viewed as a bellwether between campaigning on issues like the economy, inflation and abortion ahead of the November midterms. But Ryan represents a seat that was drawn before the New York congressional maps were redrawn for this year’s midterms, meaning the congressman is now running in the new 18th Congressional District this cycle.

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the seat “lean Democrat.”

Last weekend, Clinton also campaigned for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (N.Y.), the chairman of the House Democrats’ campaign arm. Maloney currently represents the 18th Congressional District but chose after redistricting to run in the 17th Congressional District. 

A mix of national headwinds and a district that includes a majority of new constituents have made Maloney’s reelection chances more challenging for the powerful Democrat.