NY 22nd Congressional Race Finally Over

Broome, Chenango, Tioga and the other five counties in New York’s 22^nd Congressional District will soon finally have a representative in Washington, 97 days after election day.

The New York State Board of Elections February 8 certified Republican former Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s 109-vote victory over incumbent Democrat Anthony Brindisi.  That was followed shortly by Brindisi conceding the race and dropping any further legal challenges.

On election night, Tenney looked ready to take back her seat in the House of Representatives two years after losing to Brindisi by a few thousand votes in 2018 as she led the race by several thousand votes this time.  That lead quickly began to evaporate as the paper ballot count began and, at one brief time, Brindisi held a narrow lead before the vote swung back in the Republican’s favor.

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After a long list of vote-counting missteps that included ballots that were found set aside and uncounted in Chenango County, improper notes on ballots affixed by not-so-sticky post-notes and several voters in Oneida County left out as they registered on time with the Department of Motor Vehicles but had not been recorded by the Board of Elections, Tenney continued to cling to a lead of several dozen votes.  The New York State Supreme Court Justice in the case issued a temporary stay in Oneida certifying its votes, the last of the eight counties to take that final step, but lifted the injunction February 5 and allowed the final counts to be made official by the New York State board of Elections.

 A couple hours after the four-to-nothing certification vote Monday, February 8, Brindisi called Tenney to congratulate her and drop any additional challenges, conceding the race.

Brindisi offered the help of his staff for a smooth transition but, in a statement, offered what might have been a final jab saying he hoped the staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump would represent all the people of the district, not just those who agree with her point of view.