Will Harris and Trump’s running mate picks shake up competitive House races?

New York’s congressional candidates have full presidential tickets to ponder after Democratic Presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris announced this week that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz would join her on the campaign trail. Swing district Democrats appear energized by the new ticket, with some even hoping the pair make an appearance in New York. 

Harris joins Republican former President Donald Trump in picking a running mate after he chose Sen. JD Vance last month. Republicans in New York haven’t expressed concern about the choice, but in the coming months, they may find themselves answering questions about Vance’s interesting comments on various subjects.

Some Republican candidates say that they are not fazed at the prospect. Alison Esposito, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan in the 18th Congressional District, told City & State that too much attention is being paid to some of Vance’s comments. 

“I'm not worried about the left’s spin on this, or the absolute lies that they're throwing out, whether it's him having sex with a couch or taking his viewpoints, vantage points and comments out of context,” said Esposito.

She suggested that Democrats' criticism of Vance’s controversial comments about women without children was unfair.

“If you want to talk about the ‘women without kids’ statement, that was cut from a larger conversation,” she said, “Listen, I don't have kids, but what he was saying was not necessarily women without kids, but people that are so driven by career and power and success and notoriety and fame and fortune that they have nothing else in their lives to remind them what really matters.”

Esposito said that she supports the Republican presidential ticket – even if she does not wholeheartedly agree with everything that Vance has said – and she does not expect that controversy over Vance will impact her own race.

Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro, who is running for reelection in the 19th Congressional District against old foe Josh Riley, agreed that the top of the ticket is unlikely to affect his own race.

“Presidential races are about presidential candidates – Trump vs. Harris. Just like my race is about me vs DC lawyer Josh Riley and the open border policies he sued for in DC and cashless bail he supports here in NY,” Molinaro said in a statement.

Republican Reps. Mike Lawler, Nick Lalota and Anthony D’Esposito – who are all running in swing districts – did not respond to requests to comment about Vance.

Democrats had nothing but praise for their presidential nominee’s running mate. 

"Governor Walz has led efforts to lower prescription drug costs, expand broadband service in rural communities, and restore a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions,” Riley said in a statement. “Those are Upstate New York’s priorities too, and I’ll work with him to get them done."

In the 17th Congressional District, former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones said he was excited by the move, noting an uptick in engagement. “We had a very straightforward path to victory, even with Joe Biden at the top of the ticket, but I have noticed an uptick in volunteerism and certainly enthusiasm, I feel it myself,” said Jones.

He also added that he would have been happy with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Shapiro’s failure in the veepstakes was punched on by Republicans, like his opponent, Rep. Mike Lawler, as a sign of antisemitism in the Harris campaign and Democratic Party. Jones has vocally supported Israel and even endorsed Westchester County Executive George Latimer rather than former ally Rep. Jamaal Bowman due to the latter’s rhetoric on Israel and the war in Gaza. 

Democratic candidates John Avlon and John Mannion, who are running in the 1st and 22nd Congressional Districts, respectively, expressed satisfaction with Walz’ midwest brand of progressive politics and overall profile. 

That enthusiasm is shared elsewhere in the Hudson Valley. 

“It would be incredibly helpful to have both Vice President Harris and/or Governor Walz come to my district. I don't know if they will, given the time and the map, but they would be a huge energy driver,” Ryan said. “I could take Walz to a bunch of great places and communities, whether that's the veteran community, or that's labor. 

Ryan, of course, was the most prominent member of New York’s House delegation to call on President Joe Biden to leave the ticket. Biden’s eventual capitulation to the chorus of voices asking the same led to the Harris Walz ticket – the same one that leaves the Hudson Valley lawmaker so bullish three months from election day. 

“I mean, he (Walz) just energizes a lot of communities,” said Ryan.