NY Republican Alison Esposito may challenge Dem Rep. Pat Ryan.

Former GOP Lieutenant Governor Candidate Mulls Challenge to Democratic Congressman

Who is Alison Esposito?

Alison Esposito is a 25-year veteran of the New York City Police Department who retired from the force last summer to run as then-Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (R-NY) lieutenant governor candidate in his gubernatorial race against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY). Although they lost that race by six points, Zeldin and Esposito performed impressively for Republicans in deep blue New York and were credited with producing down-ballot wins throughout the state.

What’s Next for Esposito?

According to a source close to Esposito, she is now considering a House bid. “Alison Esposito is exploring the different ways she can serve New Yorkers. Running for Congress, among other offices, is definitely on that list,” the source said.

Challenging Rep. Pat Ryan

Esposito is mulling a challenge to Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) in 2024. Ryan represents what’s become a swing district encompassing the Catskills and parts of Hudson Valley, located about 80 miles north of New York City. The Democrat beat Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) in an August 2022 special election for the House seat for the state’s 19th Congressional district, despite the Republican being ahead in the polls.

Can Esposito Unseat Ryan?

Despite being in a swing district, unseating the House Democrat won’t be an easy feat. Ryan raised an impressive $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2023, Federal Election Commission filings show. He has just over $941,000 cash on hand as of March 31 of this year. Given that Esposito hasn’t filed to run with the FEC, her finances remain unknown.

What Do Republicans Think?

Despite the challenge, one House Republican aide sees Esposito, a gay woman, as a strong general election contender. “Esposito would be a wildly impressive candidate with the proven ability to appeal to both staunch Republicans and voters in the middle,” the GOP operative said.

Conclusion

Esposito’s potential challenge to Ryan in 2024 is sure to be an interesting race to watch. Will she be able to unseat the House Democrat in a swing district? Only time will tell.