Vanessa Fajans-Turner, who previously ran in New York’s 22nd Congressional District, announced on Sunday that she will not continue her campaign for Congress.
The announcement from Fajans-Turner comes after finalized district maps were approved by a state judge on Saturday, May 21.
Originally, the Legislature-drawn version of the congressional map put Ithaca in the 22nd Congressional District. However, the finalized map drawn by special master Jonathan Cervas puts all of Tompkins County and Ithaca in the sprawling new 19th District, which ends at the Massachusetts border.
Related: Republican Steve Wells enters race in NY’s redrawn 22nd Congressional District
This moment ‘larger than any individual candidate,’ says Fajans-Tuner
“Now that New York’s redistricting process is complete and its new district lines are final, I have made the difficult decision not to continue my campaign for Congress,” said Fajans-Turner, according to a press release. “Tompkins County, and my hometown of Ithaca, have been drawn into New York’s 19th congressional district, which spans 11 counties extending from Tompkins through the Catskills and east across the Hudson Valley to the Massachusetts border. This new district is very different from the one in which I have been campaigning and building voter trust since launching in February..”
In her statement, Fajans-Turner affirmed her commitment to supporting fellow Democrats come November while also acknowledging the challenges that lay ahead for the party.
“We will need every resource we have to ensure Democrats win in November to fight back against Republicans’ attacks on our democracy, our fundamental rights, and our climate. I will not act in any way that splits the Democratic field in this new swing district with an established and well-funded Republican in the running. This national moment is larger than any individual candidate, and it is incumbent on all of us to work for the greater, common cause as the stakes of this race continue to rise,” said Fajans-Turner.
Republican Claudia Tenney, the 22nd District incumbent, announced on Saturday that she would campaign in the newly-drawn 24th District. Mike Sigler, Brian Williams and Steve Wells are the current Republicans in the race for the 22nd District.
“While I am ending my campaign for Congress, my commitment to the communities across this region has not changed. The imperative of acting on issues like climate change, reproductive freedom, and voting rights transcends our district and state lines, and the window to act meaningfully is narrowing,” said Fajans-Turner. “To say I’m grateful for everyone who believed in this campaign and its vision is the largest of understatements I can imagine. We campaigned to drive conversation and engagement around key issues in the community. While our time in this race has ended, our work most certainly has not.”
You can read Fajans-Turner’s full statement here.
Related: INSIDE THE FLX: Vanessa Fajans-Turner for Congress (podcast)
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