Voters in New York’s 24th Congressional District will get a chance to hear directly from the two Democrats competing to challenge Rep. Claudia Tenney this fall during a public debate scheduled for next month in Geneva.
Alissa Ellman and Diana Kastenbaum, the two candidates who secured enough petition signatures to appear on the June 23 Democratic primary ballot, will meet for a debate June 3 at the Smith Opera House. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and is being sponsored by the Seneca County Democratic Committee and the Ontario County Democratic Committee.
The debate will be moderated by R. Eric Barnes, professor of philosophy and emeritus director of debate at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Organizers said the event will be free and open to the public.
“This is the first time since 2018 that Democrats have had the opportunity to choose their nominee from among multiple well-qualified candidates,” Seneca County Democratic Committee Chair Rachel Weil said in a statement announcing the event.
Ontario County Democratic Committee Chair John Hurley said Democrats in the district are highly engaged ahead of the primary contest and described both candidates as strong contenders.
Organizers are also inviting the public to submit questions ahead of the debate to help shape the discussion around issues important to residents across the district.
The winner of the June 23 Democratic primary will advance to face Tenney in the Nov. 3 general election. Tenney has represented the district in Congress since 2023.
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