May 26, 2011

Democrat Kathy Hochul defeated Republican Assemblywoman Jane Corwin in a special election in the 26th Congressional district of New York this Tuesday. The Congressional seat in the deeply conservative western New York district became vacant when Republican Congressman Chris Lee resigned after shirtless pictures of him from a Craigslist dating ad were published online.

Hochul, a former Erie County clerk, is a pro-choice, progressive ally. Her staunch opposition to House Republican Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) budget plan, which would effectively kill Medicare, was partially credited for her win. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) stated, “Kathy Hochul’s victory tonight is a tribute to Democrats’ commitment to preserve and strengthen Medicare, create jobs, and grow our economy.”

Throughout her campaign, Hochul pledged to work to improve women’s access to health services. On Hochul’s pro-choice credentials, Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, remarked, “New York voters made a clear stand against Speaker Boehner’s extreme and divisive anti-choice agenda by sending Kathy Hochul, a champion of the fundamental values of freedom and privacy, to Congress. Rep.-elect Hochul represents the district’s mainstream views, and she knows that voters want Washington focusing on creating jobs and protecting Medicare, not attacking a woman’s right to choose.”

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