Delgado chats with well-wishers after he captures the Democratic
line for the 19th Congressional District seat
KINGSTON – Antonio Delgado of Rhinebeck is the unofficial winner
in the race for the Democratic nomination in the New York 19th Congressional
District race.
He prevailed with 22 percent of the unofficial preliminary vote tally.
He received 7,690 out of roughly 35,000 ballots, with 436 out of 458 election
districts reporting, as of late Tuesday night.
There were seven candidates in the race – plus two more who dropped
out early.
Delgado now proceeds to the general election in November, challenging
incumbent Congressman John Faso for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A jubilant crowd was waiting to welcome Delgado at a bookshop bar in Uptown
Kingston Tuesday night.
Thanking his supporters and family, Delgado called it an incredible day
for democracy. “A lot lies ahead. We’ve seen quite a bit happen of
late that is profoundly disturbing. There’s a cruelty in our current political
system, that can no longer be tolerated – that is no longer acceptable,
that is dark, that is ugly, and that festers on ignorance, and exploits
on anxiety that is actually not even there, based on the illusion of scarcity
in this country,” Delgado said.
Calling out Faso, Delgado claimed his incumbent rival, “by his record,
has demonstrated a willingness to defy the will of the people.” He
said it is imperative to act accordingly, and engage, and work hard.
“But do so in accordance with your principles, with conviction, and
love, and heart, and compassion, and empathy, and a fire, for truth, for
truth!
Now is not the time to be angry, to be personal, to be nativist, tribal;
now is the time to transcend all of that and bring back hope, and prosperity,
and opportunity for everybody, right here at home,” Delgado said.
Across town, similar gatherings held concession speeches by the six losing
candidates. Gareth Rhodes and Pat Ryan were nearly tied for second place,
with less than 0.2 percent difference between them – both at just
under 18 percent.
Jeff Beals and Brian Flynn were tied for third place, each with exactly
13.18 percent.
David Clegg came in fourth place, at 11.08 percent, and latecomer Erin
Collier trailed in last place, at just 4.86 percent overall.
Although the tally is not yet complete, as of late Tuesday night, these
unofficial numbers were considered sufficient for Delgado to declare victory;
however, none of his Democratic primary opponents attended the Delgado
celebration to congratulate or concede.
County-by-county, the primary results were significantly different, among
the seven candidates, and the positions which they ranked.
In Ulster, Delgado only beat Clegg by a mere fraction higher than one
percent, with Ryan trailing less than two points behind. In Dutchess,
however, Clegg came in last place, behind Collier, and Ryan beat out Rhodes
for 2nd place. There, Delgado had the highest lead, with 28.25 percent,
on his home turf. Rhodes won Columbia County, by a large margin, with
Delgado in second place, Ryan in third, Beals and Flynn closely tied for
fourth.
Rhodes won in Delaware and Sullivan counties, in addition to Columbia.
Ryan won in Broome and Rensselaer counties.
Flynn won in Otsego and Greene counties, and came in second in Delaware
County.
Beals nearly tied Delgado for third place in Delaware County, trailing
by just three-quarters of a point.
Had any one of the six runners-up dropped out early, the resulting winner
might easily have been a different candidate.
