The Republican wave that swept through many national races on Election Day was not felt in New York’s 20th Congressional District as incumbent Paul Tonko comfortably defeated his GOP opponent.
Tonko, D-Amsterdam, was elected to his fourth two-year term after election results on Tuesday night, Nov. 4, grew to an insurmountable lead that Jim Fischer, R-Ballston Spa was unable to overcome. Tonko secured nearly 59 percent of votes, totaling almost 119,000, while Fischer garnered 37.4 percent, or almost 75,500 votes, according to unofficial results.
Tonko came out ahead in each of the five counties in the district, too, which includes all of Albany and Schenectady, and portions of Saratoga, Montgomery and Rensselaer. Tonko’s biggest county lead was in Albany, with 64.3 percent of votes, and his smallest county lead was in Saratoga with 50.9 percent.
“I am so humbled by the support I’ve received during these long and challenging months of campaigning,” Tonko said in a prepared statement. “Now that the election is over, the primary thing on my mind is continuing the critical work I talked about all campaign long, and that means fighting for the issues that are important to New Yorkers.”
Tonko said he would focus on bolstering the middle class, revitalizing manufacturing, increasing access to high-quality health care, improving the educational system, and protecting Social Security.
Fischer’s bid against Tonko was the first time he had run for office, but he had been active in the 2010 and 2012 Republican congressional campaigns for the district. Tonko has faced a different GOP challenger each of the four times he has run for Congress.
