New York, Florida primaries renew Democrats’ hopes for the midterms

Amna Nawaz:

We are just 76 days away from the midterm elections that will determine which party controls Congress next year. Voters in Florida and New York have now chosen their nominees for House and Senate races, setting up some major showdowns in November.

Our Lisa Desjardins has more on last night's results.

Lisa Desjardins:

From the last swirl of primaries in August has emerged renewed hope for Democrats and veteran politicians.

In Florida, Charlie Crist is both. Democrats chose him, a former Republican governor, to face off against current governor and rising Republicans star Ron DeSantis. Crist made that part of his opening argument.

Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL):

Because this guy wants to be president of the United States of America, and everybody knows it.

However, when we defeat them on November 8, that show is over!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Rep. Charlie Crist:

Enough.

Lisa Desjardins:

DeSantis, who faced no primary, has stoked his image as a maverick and Navy reserve officer, including in an ad referencing the "Top Gun" movies. He spoke last night.

Gov. Ron DeSantis:

He got involved to help candidates who were fighting the machine, fighting the lockdowners, fighting the forced maskers, fighting the people that want to indoctrinate our kids, instead of educate our kids.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL):

The Democratic Party has been taken over by…

Lisa Desjardins:

Fellow Republican Senator Marco Rubio also faces a high-profile fight.

Sen. Marco Rubio:

To our Democrat friends that are out there, your party has abandoned you.

Lisa Desjardins:

Last night, Democratic voters overwhelmingly backed Congresswoman Val Demings from Orlando to challenge him.

Rep. Val Demings (D-FL):

I stand before you tonight believing in the promise of America.

Lisa Desjardins:

Few celebrations were louder than that of man running for Demings' seat; 25-year-old Democrat Maxwell Frost now is favored to win in the fall, which would make him the first member of Generation Z in Congress.

Meantime, veteran Republican Congressmen Matt Gaetz and Daniel Webster each survived challenges last night. Webster's opponent, election denier and self-described Islamophobe Laura Loomer, made it a race and is refusing to concede.

Laura Loomer (R), Florida Congressional Candidate: I'm not conceding, because I'm a winner.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Lisa Desjardins:

She's not alone. Fellow far right congressional candidate Carl Paladino in New York also rejected his projected loss.

Others handled tough defeat head on.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY):

I have called Congressman Nadler to congratulate him on his victory.

Lisa Desjardins:

House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney conceded in a rare matchup against fellow Democrat and Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, a battle sparked by redistricting.

Nadler paid tribute to Maloney after his blowout win.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY):

I speak for everyone in this room tonight when I thank her for decades of service to our city.

Lisa Desjardins:

Someone who worked with Nadler, House impeachment lawyer Daniel Goldman, also pulled through the redistricting cloud. He won in a new Democratic-leaning district, knocking out one-term progressive Representative Mondaire Jones, who placed higher than expected.

One final, if temporary result, in New York's Hudson Valley, Democrat Pat Ryan, a combat veteran campaigning on abortion rights, won a special election, beating a Republican and expectations in a closely watched House race.

And joining me to discuss last night's primary is one of those winning candidates, congressman-elect Pat Ryan of New York.

Congratulations, congressman-elect.

You want in a swing district you were not expected to win. Why do you think that you did?

Pat Ryan (D), New York Congressman-Elect: I think we stood up loud and clear and said, this is a referendum on freedom, on choice in the country, certainly in this community. And people responded overwhelmingly to that and sent a resounding message.

And I think so much of this was just being clear and unequivocal in our values and our principles, and doing it in a way that's unifying. And so to see my community, where I was born and raised, respond in this way in this moment, I'm so proud.

Lisa Desjardins:

You know, since last night, The Cook Political Report has changed how it sees the midterms, saying now it believes that Democrats are diluting Republicans' advantage.

One suggested reason is abortion, an area that you campaigned on. How much of a factor do you think that was in your win?

Pat Ryan:

I think it played a major role.

I mean, I believe that the Dobbs decision really hit a guardrail of democracy, and served as a major wakeup call that fundamental rights and freedoms that I risked my life in combat to defend, that so many worked for so many decades to secure and to hold are really now under threat and people actively trying to rip away those rights.

And that is — that is something that strikes a deeper nerve and really results in the things we have seen in Kansas, what we saw here last night, and people saying, this is not who we are as America.

Lisa Desjardins:

Your win last night means that you will now represent the 19th District of New York. That's what it looks like right now.

But, of course, because of redistricting, that map is about to change. And you will be running in November for the 18th District in New York, a different district. Your opponent, the Republican in that race, has already indicated that one line of attack could be that he will accuse you, as other Republicans are doing with Democrats, of being soft on crime.

I wonder how you respond and how Democrats are responding to that charge that Democrats are soft on crime.

Pat Ryan:

Well, my opponent in the special election just spent over $2.5 million trying to do that, unsuccessfully.

And, again, this is where actions speak louder than words. I mean, I have worn the uniform.I very much understand what safety is about. As county executive, where I have served the last few years, we have increased funding to law enforcement, including our Violent Crimes Task Force, and, literally, just a few months ago, had the single biggest seizure of guns and illicit opioids in our county's history.

So, that just doesn't land. And I think it really is a desperate and ineffective strategy, because people see through that. People understand what's at stake. And this really is an existential moment for our democracy.

Lisa Desjardins:

You outperformed President Biden in that district last night by a little bit, but year the remains an unpopular president, by and large. In midterm elections, that's a major factor.

How do you campaign with that factor involved, President Biden?

Pat Ryan:

Well, what people want right now is help. They want relief.

And we have been delivering that at every single level of government. And I have been working on that as county executive, just proposed our biggest property tax cut in 40 years. We cut our gas tax in half to provide relief at the pumps, and then to add on to that, the incredible delivery of help from the federal government of the last few weeks and months.

The CHIPS Act is going to bring hundreds of jobs right here to this district. The Inflation Reduction Act, bringing down prescription drug prices, finally making big corporations pay their fair share of taxes, I campaigned hard and clearly on that towards the end of this special election, and it had a big impact. And I think we will continue to see that momentum.

Crazy idea, when you step up and help people and deliver, they appreciate it, and trust gets rebuilt. And I think that's what we're starting to really see gain momentum.

Lisa Desjardins:

Those are so many of the issues we have been covering.

I do want to ask you, though, would you want President Biden to campaign with you in your district?

Pat Ryan:

We would love to have anybody and everybody that wants to help us deliver here.

I think the president from the beginning of his administration has delivered an American Rescue Plan that let us in this community invest in infrastructure, small business relief, mental health, desperately needed housing, followed up by the single biggest bipartisan infrastructure bill since Eisenhower.

So I would welcome, again, the president and anyone and everyone who wants to help deliver and provide relief for folks right now, who desperately, desperately need it.

Lisa Desjardins:

You have campaigned on this idea that there's a threat to democracy right now. You have mentioned it.

I wonder, how do you deal with that in a very fraught election year? How do you confront perhaps constituents who believe these falsehoods strongly, while still trying to engage with them, even if they disagree with you? How do you deal with that?

Pat Ryan:

Well, this goes back to a lot of things that I learned as a West Point cadet, as an Army officer.

It's about finding that common ground, remembering that we're all in this with a purpose and a mission greater than ourselves. Sometimes, it takes a lot of work to bring that out in people, because everyone is distrustful right now. Everyone is exhausted. Everyone is near or at their wit's end.

And that's where leadership is even more important. I mean, I had this incredible challenge and privilege to guide our community through this pandemic. And I saw some real moments of division, but, largely, we were able to hold it together by reminding each other that there is reason to be hopeful. There is reason to be optimistic. There is reason to remember we're all in this together.

And I know that sometimes that sounds almost naive, but so much of our campaign in this special election was saying, in a moment of real darkness and division, we have to continue to lead with hope and optimism and remind people that we're heading in a better direction.

Lisa Desjardins:

Congressman-elect Pat Ryan of New York, thank you for your time on a long and big day.

Pat Ryan:

Thanks, Lisa.