Congressman Anthony Brindisi announced Monday that he is officially running for re-election to the 22nd New York Congressional District. Brindisi, a Democrat, was elected to the seat in November 2018, defeating one-term incumbent Republican Claudia Tenney.
In his re-election announcement Monday, Brindisi touted four of his bills that were signed into law by President Trump, addressing job creation and supporting veterans. If elected to a second term, Brindisi said he wants to unite Democrats and Republicans, saying people complain “Washington can’t get things done, but together we have proven that when you’re willing to reach across the aisle and work with one another, there’s no limit to what we can do.”
Tenney, a possible opponent in November (both will be on the ballot in the primary in June), was not impressed with the campaign rhetoric. She issued a statement to WEBO News and other media that read: “Anthony Brindisi spent the last 13 months voting for a pro-impeachment, pro-Sanders, anti-Trump agenda. Now he’s desperately backpedaling because he knows the people of our district don’t support his far left agenda.”
In their race two years ago, Brindisi wasn’t declared the winner unti three weeks after Election Day, when 15,000 absentee ballots were counted and he held a 1,300-vote margin. Tenney refused to concede until those ballots were counted. News stories at the time called the 2018 race “contentious,” with Tenney tossing controversial attacks against Brindisi, Hilliary Clinton and her alma mater, Colgate University.
