KINGSTON – With all of the votes cast Tuesday counted, Democratic Congressman Patrick Ryan was ahead of Republican Challenger Colin Schmitt, a state assemblyman, by 2,173 votes.
Ryan, who earlier this year, won a special election for the current 19th District seat, polled 49.37 percent of vote to Schmitt’s 48.56 percent.
Early Wednesday, Schmitt conceded defeat. “After a hard-fought campaign the people of our district made their choice and I respect their decision. I wish the best for Pat Ryan and hope he will do great things for our Hudson Valley families,” said Schmitt.
The Republican state lawmaker took a page from the Trump playbook by making false accusations about Ryan, a West Point graduate and two-time Middle East combat veteran, and even ran a political advertisement showing a photo of Ryan next to a photo of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
