Nadler ousts longtime ally Maloney from Congress in major New York Democratic primary shake-up

Longtime New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler has defeated fellow veteran lawmaker Rep. Carolyn Maloney on Tuesday night in one of the most significant elections Empire State Democrats have seen in years.

Both left-wing legislators are in their 70s, joined Congress in 1993 and both hold valuable committee chairmanships – Nadler leads the House Judiciary Committee while Maloney chairs the House Oversight panel.

Nadler took an early lead shortly after polls closed. What was expected to be a close race was called by multiple major outlets less than an hour later. 

He also secured high-profile endorsements from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, and the New York Times Editorial group. 

Maloney had been backed by several pro-abortion and humanitarian organizations. 

Her loss, likely the end of the 76-year-old’s career in elected office, leaves a power vacuum for Democrats to fill on the House Oversight Committee come next year. 

Also in the running was 38-year-old progressive attorney Suraj Patel, whose calls for a new generation of leadership nearly saw Maloney unseated in the old bounds of New York’s 12th district in 2020.  

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler won his primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District on Tuesday night

Carolyn Maloney’s loss means House Democrats will have a leadership hole to fill on the Oversight Committee

New York’s new Congressional map saw one seat in the House of Representatives thrown out based on the latest census. Among the shakeups it has caused for the blue stronghold is pitting Nadler and Maloney against each other. 

But the race between the longtime Congressional allies grew venomous in the lead-up to Tuesday.

Nadler slammed Maloney for her past support for the Afghanistan War and the Patriot Act, while also pointing out that if he lost New York would lose its one Jewish House member.

Maloney in turn suggested Nadler may not finish his term due to health reasons and cast doubt on his cognitive abilities.

‘I think that you should read the editorial in the New York Post today. They call him senile. They cite his performance at the debate where he couldn’t even remember who he impeached. He said he impeached Bush,’ she said to NY1 on Sunday. 

The newly-redrawn bounds of New York’s 12th District include about 60 percent of Maloney’s old territory and 40 percent of Nadler’s.

Nadler’s seat is currently New York’s old 10th Congressional District.