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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Wednesday said he opposes the newly created New York congressional maps roiling the House side of his state’s delegation, but declined to comment on the drama over who is running in which district.
“I wish they had drawn different maps, I don’t approve of the maps that were drawn. The situation within the delegation is fluid so I’m not going to comment on that,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said.
The comment comes as Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., announced he’s running for New York’s redrawn 17th Congressional District.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., speaks to the media after a Democratic policy luncheon, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Maloney’s home is within the lines of the new 17th district. But he currently represents more geographical area in the new 18th Congressional District, which would be a harder seat for a Democrat to win in a general election.
Meanwhile, Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., who currently represents more of the 17th District, vented to Politico shortly after Maloney announced he’d be running in that district — potentially setting up a member-on-member primary.
“Sean Patrick Maloney did not even give me a heads up before he went on Twitter to make that announcement,” he told Politico. “And I think that tells you everything you need know about Sean Patrick Maloney.”
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., in 2019. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS)
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Maloney, meanwhile, defends his decision by saying that the 17th district will still be competitive, and that he is the only member who lives there.
“There are a number of members who have been drawn in terms of their residences into the same district. I’m not one of them,” he said. “I’m the only sitting member who lives in the district, which is… now numbered, New York 17, which remains a competitive district, by the way, that we have to win in the fall. It will not be easy.”
The redistricting fallout could also affect Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who represents New York’s 16th Congressional District, if Jones were to jump to that district – which at this point does not seem likely. Bowman indicated on Twitter that he will continue to represent that district.
Representative Gabrielle Giffords and Representative Mondaire Jones at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Krakow as part of a congressional delegation, 19th April 2022. (Chuck Fishman/JCC Krakow/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, two other senior Democratic members of Congress could face off against each other in a major Manhattan primary battle. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler, D-N.y., and House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., both announced their intention this week to run in the newly-drawn 12th district.
“I am proud to announce that I will be running to continue to represent the 12th Congressional District. A majority of the communities in the newly redrawn NY-12 are ones I have represented for years and to which I have deep ties,” Maloney wrote.
“I believe these newly proposed lines by the Special Master violate the NYS constitutional requirements of keeping communities of interest together and keeping the cores of existing districts largely intact,” Nadler said. “However, provided that they become permanent, I very much look forward to running in and representing the people of the newly created 12th District of New York.
Fox News’ Kelly Phares contributed to this report.