The battle for NY-18: Rep. Pat Ryan discussed affordability, AI and his political future
Rep. Pat Ryan is campaigning on his record with affordability front and center.
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With less than a month to Election Day, the race for New York's 18th congressional district is heating up.
News 12's senior reporter Tara Rosenblum sat down one-on-one with both candidates to break down where they stand.
Tonight, we begin our special coverage featuring incumbent Democrat Rep. Pat Ryan - and tomorrow, we'll feature his Republican challenger, Jackie Auringer.
The two-term Democrat is asking Hudson Valley voters for another two years.
"There is a lot of show horses in Congress. I’ve really worked hard to be a workhorse to deliver for the district," he says.
Ryan is campaigning on his record with affordability front and center.
He points to his fight against Central Hudson, while also pushing back against some of President Donald Trump's policies on tariffs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including a proposed detention facility in Chester.
"My worry is that under the current leadership under this administration, ICE has become a rogue agency," he says.
He's also pushing back against the fast expansion of AI data centers.
"I have real concerns...It would be like saying, 'Do you want someone to come build a nuclear weapon in your neighborhood if they're willing to pay for it?' No," he says.
The West Point graduate and Iraq War veteran represents all of Orange County and parts of Dutchess and Ulster counties.
It's a district Kamala Harris carried by just about three points in 2024, but Ryan won his own race by 14.
One recent poll shows him with a similar lead this year, over his GOP challenger, which may explain why some of the biggest questions he's facing aren't about 2026 at all.
Looking beyond the Hudson Valley, Ryan also addressed his broader political ambitions and the possibility of ever eyeing a higher office.
"I want to take on more leadership in the state and the country. We need new leaders," he says. "I think it's OK to be honest about the fact that we have a failure of leadership in this country."
