Collins opponent: Stepping down was ‘right thing to do’

Rep. Chris Collins’ (R-N.Y.) Democratic opponent for his congressional seat told CNN on Saturday that Collins’ decision to suspend his reelection campaign was the right move.

“I think he had a lot of pressure on him, and I like to think that some part of him knew it was the right thing to do,” Nate McMurray said.

The comments come after Collins’ announcement Saturday morning that he is suspending his reelection campaign in light of charges of insider trading.

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“After extensive discussions with my family and my friends over the last few days, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the constituents of NY-27, the Republican Party and President Trump’s agenda for me to suspend my campaign for re-election to Congress,” Collins said in a press release. 

He added that he will continue serving the rest of his term and “fight the meritless charges brought against me.”

Prosecutors allege that while serving on the board of pharmaceutical company Innate Immunotherapeutics, Collins gave nonpublic information about drug trial results to his son to make advantageous trades.

Collins’ son, Cameron Collins, and Stephen Zarsky, the father of Cameron Collins’s fiancée, were also charged.

It is not clear what Republicans’ next steps will be in Collins’ ruby-red district. Although he will suspend his campaign, he already won the GOP primary in his district and will likely remain on the ballot. The filing deadline to add a name to the ballot was in April.

McMurray was not his party’s first choice for the nomination. He faced pressure from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his allies to bow out of the race to make way for their preferred candidate, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.

McMurray has struggled with fundraising for months, reporting less than $82,000 in cash on hand in his most recent federal filing. But Collins’ indictment prompted a surge in donations to his campaign, McMurray and advisers said this week, fueling Democrats’ hopes for a more competitive race in the district.

A McMurray campaign official declined to provide immediate comment on Collins’ decision to suspend his reelection bid when reached by The Hill on Saturday.

If Republicans are able to replace Collins on the ballot with a new candidate, it could ease concerns over the possibility of the district falling into Democratic hands. Trump won New York’s 27th District in 2016 by 24 points, and Collins was reelected by a 34-point margin that year.

-Updated 1:28 p.m.