Going into June’s congressional primary election, local Democrats had a decision to make. For the first time since 2012, the Democratic nomination in New York’s 23rd Congressional District was contested, with five candidates all vying for a chance to unseat Congressman Tom Reed, the incumbent who represents a district spanning from Ithaca all the way to Lake Erie. By the end of election night on June 26, the race was still too close to call. Retired Air Force officer Max Della Pia held a lead over cybersecurity expert Tracy Mitrano by just 26 votes of over 21,000 initially counted, leaving the outcome up to absentee ballots, which would not be counted for another week.
The Reed campaign did not hesitate to dismiss the competitors in the Democratic primary as “Extreme Ithaca Liberals,” a label originally used against Reed’s 2014 opponent, Martha Robertson. “It’s no surprise that with a field of Extreme Ithaca Liberal options to choose from, the Democrats couldn’t make a definitive selection in their primary on Tuesday,” Tom Reed’s campaign manager Nicholas Weinstein said in a statement. “With their unanimous support for higher taxes, heroin injection sites in our neighborhoods, and government-run socialized medicine, these Extreme Ithaca Liberals have clearly demonstrated to the voters that they are out of touch with our values,” Weinstein continued. Neither Mitrano, of Penn Yan, nor Della Pia, of Owego, lives in Ithaca.
The following week, Mitrano took a lead over Della Pia with the counting of absentee ballots. Della Pia conceded to and endorsed Mitrano on July 3, just days after the Buffalo News revealed that he had plagiarized parts of his campaign website. Della Pia, along with former candidates Ian Golden of Ithaca and Eddie Sundquist of Jamestown, showed support for Mitrano at a “unity rally” in the city of Olean on July 14.
In addition to local political figures such as Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren have endorsed Mitrano’s campaign. Outside of the support from these senators, however, Mitrano’s campaign has received little national attention in a year where Democrats are looking at an opportunity to retake the House of Representatives. More national Democratic efforts have been dedicated to the nearby 19th and 22nd Congressional Districts, whose incumbent Republican representatives were elected by smaller margins in 2016 than Reed. Mitrano’s fundraising also lags significantly behind Reed’s. At the end of June, the Reed campaign had $1,274,707 cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission website. In comparison, Mitrano had only $7,874 cash on hand at that same point.
Campaigning for the election in November, Mitrano has emphasized her support for universal healthcare while also touting her background in cybersecurity as the topic gains national attention. Reed, meanwhile, has made a point of his support for the GOP’s 2017 tax bill, which he voted for. Reed has also tried to demonstrate support for bipartisanship as co-chair of Congress’s Problem Solvers Caucus.
To be eligible to vote in the general election on November 6, individuals must register to vote by October 12. Individuals under 18 years of age can register to vote as long as they will turn 18 by the day of the general election.