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New York

Presidential primary: Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Congressional filing deadline: July 2008
Congressional primary: September 2008

President (31 Electoral Votes)

Long considered a reliable state for Democrats, New York supported John Kerry with more than 58 percent of the statewide vote in 2004. In 2000, Al Gore won with 62 percent. But while Democrats find broad support in the statewide totals, New York's political environment grows more conservative in the more-rural regions of the state. In 2006, several Democratic challengers capitalized on the anti-Republican climate to capture seats that had long been long been held by Republicans. While many focus on the implications of a Rudy Giuliani candidacy on New York's 31 electoral votes, the other question looming in the Empire State is whether Democrats can consolidate their gains in some of New York's traditionally republican Congressional districts.

1st District - Tim Bishop (Dem)

Eastern Long Island, Brookhaven, Smithtown

Tim Bishop (Dem) - Incumbent
Kathleen Troia McFarland (Rep)

2nd District - Steve Israel (Dem)

Central Long Island, Islip, Huntington

Steve Israel (Dem) - Incumbent

3rd District - Pete King (Rep)

Western Long Island, Oyster Bay

Pete King (Rep) - Incumbent
Bill Corrigan (Ind) - Business Consultant

4th District - Carolyn McCarthy (Dem)

Western Long Island, Hempstead, Mineola

Carolyn McCarthy (Dem) - Incumbent

5th District - Gary Ackerman (Dem)

Western Long Island, Queens, western Nassau county

Gary Ackerman (Dem) - Incumbent

6th District - Gregory Meeks (Dem)

Southeast Queens, Jamaica

Gregory Meeks (Dem) - Incumbent

7th District - Joseph Crowley (Dem)

Parts of Queens and the Bronx

Joe Crowley (Dem) - Incumbent

8th District - Jerrold Nadler (Dem)

Manhattan's West Side and parts of southwest Brooklyn

Jerrold Nadler (Dem) - Incumbent

9th District - Anthony Weiner (Dem)

Parts of Brooklyn and Queens, Forest Hills

Anthony Weiner (Dem) - Incumbent

10th District - Edolphus Towns (Dem)

Parts of Brooklyn, Bedford Stuyvestant, Brooklyn Heights

Ed Towns (Dem) - Incumbent
Hakeem Jeffries (Dem) - State Assemblyman and Attorney
Kevin Powell (Dem) - Journalist, Author and Community Activist

11th District - Yvette Clarke (Dem)

Central Brooklyn, Flatbush, Crown Heights

Yvette Clarke (Dem) - Incumbent
Chris Owens (Dem)

12th District - Nydia Velazquez (Dem)

Manhattan's Lower East Side, parts of Brooklyn and Queens

Nydia Velazquez (Dem) - Incumbent

13th District - Vito Fossella (Rep)

Staten Island, part of southwest Brooklyn

Vito Fossella (Rep) - Incumbent
Steve Harrison (Dem) - Attorney, Community Activist and 2006 Nominee
Michael McMahon (Dem) - NYC City Councilor
Domenic Recchia (Dem) - NYC City Councilor

14th District - Carolyn Maloney (Dem)

Manhattan's East Side, part of Queens

Carolyn Maloney (Dem) - Incumbent
K T McFarland (Rep) - Former Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary, Former Congressional Aide and 2006 US Senate Candidate

15th District - Charlie Rangel (Dem)

Northern Manhattan, Harlem

Charlie Rangel (Dem) - Incumbent

16th District - Jose Serrano (Dem)

South Bronx

Jose Serrano (Dem) - Incumbent

17th District - Eliot Engel (Dem)

North Bronx, parts of southern Westchester and Rockland counties

Eliot Engel (Dem) - Incumbent

18th District - Nita Lowey (Dem)

White Plains, Scarsdale, Part of Westchester county

Nita Lowey (Dem) - Incumbent
David Prunier (Ind) - Internet Consultant, Community Activist and 2006 Candidate

19th District - John Hall (Dem)

Hudson Valley, Parts of Westchester, Orange and Putman counties

After a close election in 2006, Freshman Democrat John Hall will be a GOP target as they try to reclaim a district that had previously been represented by Republican Sue Kelly for 12 years. In 2004, Kelly won this district by a margin of nearly 88,000 votes; last cycle, Hall edged Kelly by just over 4,700 votes despite being outspent by almost $1 million. Such figures indicate just how sour the district had turned for Republicans over two short years.

So far, Kieran Michael Lalor of Peekskill is the only Republican to announce his bid.However, there is much attention being paid to first-term State Assemblyman Greg Ball who has yet to decide if he is running.

John Hall (Dem) - Incumbent
Greg Ball (Rep) - State Assemblyman, Businessman and USAF Veteran
Joe DioGuardi (Rep/Cons) - Former Congressman, Accountant and frequent candidate
Kieran Michael Lalor (Rep) - Iraq War Veteran, Teacher and Conservative Activist
Andrew Saul (Rep) - Businessman, Federal Thrift Investment Board Chair and Community Activist

20th District - Kirsten Gillibrand (Dem)

Northeast border, Saratoga Springs, Hyde Park

Another democratic member of the 110th Congress' freshman class, Rep. Kristen Gillibrand raised and spent more than $2.5 million to unseat entrenched incumbent John E. Sweeney by nearly 15,000 votes. The district had previously voted to re-elect Sweeney by nearly 2:1 margins. Gillibrand, who has drawn an early challenger, is already vigorously working towards her re-election. She has already amassed a war chest larger than $1 million to defend her seat in this traditionally republican district.

Kirsten Gillibrand (Dem) - Incumbent
Morris Guller (Dem) - Retired Stockbroker, Peace Activist and 2004 Candidate
John Faso (Rep) - Former State Assembly Minority Leader, Attorney, 2006 Governor Nominee and 2002 State Comptroller Nominee
Betty Little (Rep) - State Senator, Former State Assemblywoman, Realtor and Former Teacher
Roy McDonald (Rep) - State Assemblyman and Former Saratoga County Supervisor
Jim Murphy (Rep) - Saratoga County District Attorney and Law Professor
Michael Rocque (Rep) - Army Veteran
John Sweeney (Rep) - Former Congressman and Former State GOP Executive Counsel
Sandy Treadwell (Rep) - Former State GOP Chair and Former Secretary of State
Richard Wager (Rep) - NYC Mayoral Aide, Real Estate Broker and Former Police Officer
John Wallace (Rep) - Real Estate Broker and Retired Police Officer

21st District - Mike McNulty (Dem)

East central, Albany, Schenectady

Mike McNulty (Dem) - Incumbent

22nd District - Maurice Hinchey (Dem)

South central, Binghamton, New Platz

Maurice Hinchey (Dem) - Incumbent

23rd District - John McHugh (Rep)

Northeast, Watertown, Plattsburgh

John McHugh (Rep) - Incumbent

24th District - Mike Arcuri (Dem)

Central, Utica

Democrats picked up this open seat after the retirement of moderate republican Congressman Sherwood Boehlert in 2006. Freshman Congressman Michael Arcuri was well funded in that race against his conservative opponent in this left-of-center district. No challengers have yet filed to run against Rep. Arcuri.

Mike Arcuri (Dem) - Incumbent
Ray Meier (Rep) - Former State Senate, Former Oneida County Executive, Attorney, Army Veteran and 2006 Nominee
Mike Sylvia (Libertarian) - FedEx Courier and 2006 Nominee

25th District - Jim Walsh (Rep)

North, Syracuse

Republican Representative James T. Walsh held off challenger Dan Maffei in 2006 by less than 3,500 votes. Walsh has since announced that he will retire at the end of the term, setting the stage for an open seat contest that is sure to be competitive. Dan Maffei is back again in 2008, and he likely give the Democrats a strong chance to pick up this seat. In 2004, John Kerry won this district with 51 percent of the vote, an influx of turnout in 2008 might put Maffei over the top this time around.

On the Republican side, attorney Peter Cappuccilli was the clear front runner for the nomination, but he unexpected withdrew from the race, citing health concerns. The GOP has now settled on former Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Dale Sweetland to run against Maffei.

One potential problem for Sweetland, considering his late entry, is fundraising. Maffei barely broke between his campaign in 2006 and his run for 2008. As of March 31, Maffei already had raised $854,000, nearly 90 percent of his total in 2006.

Early polls suggest that this is going to be a very tight race, as one early poll had the race locked in a statistical tie. However, NCEC remains confident due to Maffei's strong campaigning skills and his familiarity with the voters.

Jim Walsh (Rep) - Incumbent
Matt Driscoll (Dem) - Syracuse Mayor
Dan Maffei (Dem) - Former Congressional Aide, Businessman, Democratic Activist and 2006 Nominee

26th District - Tom Reynolds (Rep)

Buffalo suburbs, Batavia, Amherst

Tom Reynolds (Rep) - Incumbent
Jack Davis (Dem) - Manufacturer, USCG Veteran and 2004/2006 Nominee
Jon Powers (Dem) - Iraq War Veteran and Teacher

27th District - Brian Higgins (Dem)

West, Buffalo

Brian Higgins (Dem) - Incumbent

28th District - Louise Slaughter (Dem)

Northwest tip, Buffalo, Rochester

Louise Slaughter (Dem) - Incumbent

29th District - Randy Kuhl (Rep)

Southwest corner, Southern tier, Parts of Ontario and Monroe counties

Second-term Republican John Randy Kuhl, Jr. narrowly survived his first re-election campaign last cycle. The challenger, retired Navy Commander Eric Massa, out-raised Kuhl by a slim margin in 2006, and he is on-pace to do it again.

Randy Kuhl (Rep) - Incumbent
Eric Massa (Dem) - Retired Naval Officer, Former Aide to General Wesley Clark and 2006 Nominee
David Nachbar (Dem)