Candidates Reactions to Supreme Court Decisions

By Miranda Reale

While one candidate in the upcoming August special election has been outspoken, the other has been silent. Facing off in the upcoming special election for the 19th Congressional District seat, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro have their sights set on filling U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado’s seat, who was recently selected by Gov. Kathy Hochul as lieutenant governor.

There were two Supreme Court decisions last week. One ruling grants Americans the right to carry firearms in public for self-defense and has deepened the partisan divide across the country, and in Ulster and Dutchess counties where the two candidates are currently serving.

Ryan has taken to social media to voice his concern, “SCOTUS failed to uphold New York’s Constitutional right to regulate firearms within its borders. In Congress, I will fight to do whatever it takes to keep our communities safe. Meanwhile, my opponent boasts an A rating from the NRA. That tells you everything you need to know,” he said on Twitter.

Republican opponent Molinaro has not publicly announced any reaction to last Thursday’s Supreme Court decision.

In response to the shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York, Molinaro said, “It is imperative we attack the root of the problem here; reducing isolation and fighting hatred by building a community of inclusion. It’s what we’ve done in Dutchess County for a decade.”

The New York law would have placed limitations on carrying guns in public spaces and was struck down on the same day that the Senate approved a gun-safety bill which introduces enhanced background checks for gun buyers ages 18 to 21. Exhibiting a deep divergence between the conservative-leaning court and the Democratic-controlled Congress, it was not the only polarizing decision made last week. The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade offered another opportunity for Molinaro and Ryan to cite their intended actions if elected.

Immediately following the ruling, Ryan, again taking to Twitter, said, “This is a devastating decision that undercuts womens’ freedom, puts lives at risk, and rolls back decades of hard-won progress. It’s clear that now more than ever we need champions in Congress who’ll protect our freedoms and fight back against Washington extremism.”

In an e-mailed statement, Molinaro said he was “empathetic” to the issue, but ultimately New York’s laws will not be affected. “The Supreme Court has decided this issue belongs to the states, where governments closer to the people they represent will set policy. While I have always personally believed in the sanctity of life, and remain opposed to late-term abortion, this decision doesn’t change New York’s settled law,” he said.

Along with the election on Aug. 23, Ryan is also running in November for the newly drawn 18th Congressional District and facing state Assemblyman Colin Schmitt. In addition, Molinaro is running in November in the new 19th Congressional District against Democrats Jamie Cheney, Josh Riley, and Osun Zotique.