2026 congressional midterm elections

The DCCC is adding the Hudson Valley candidate to its Red to Blue program

Conley is the only New York challenger getting special attention from the DCCC this cycle. Cait for New York campaign

Cait Conley is getting the “Red to Blue” boost.

The Democratic nominee for the Hudson Valley’s 17th congressional district was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s signature program designed to flood support and extra funding to Democrats in priority (ideally, winnable) seats. 

Conley, who won a crowded primary last month and now faces incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, is so far the only Democratic challenger in New York to get the extra boost from the DCCC. The House Democrats’ campaign arm has otherwise only endorsed the “frontline incumbents” like Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen on Long Island, and Rep. Josh Riley upstate. The DCCC is led by a fellow New Yorker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and chaired by Rep. Suzan DelBene, from Washington state.

The DCCC, which shared the announcement exclusively with City & State, didn’t say how much they plan to invest, but a spokesperson referred broadly to giving Conley “organizational and fundraising support.”

The committee also didn’t say why other New York Democrats hoping to take down Republicans in what could be a blue wave year weren’t awarded the same designation. Some Democrats are hopeful that, if conditions were right in Suffolk County, out gay Army helicopter pilot Chris Gallant could beat Republican Rep. Nick LaLota. And there’s hope that Republican nominee Anthony Constantino’s antics could create an opening for Democrat Blake Gendebien in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Elise Stefanik in the North Country.

“Cait is the fighter NY-17 deserves, and she’s ready to flip this seat and deliver for the Hudson Valley,” DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said in a statement.

After years living outside New York while serving in the Army and working as a national security professional, Conley moved to the district to run and quickly earned support from national Democratic groups, who backed her over candidates with deeper local ties. However the DCCC waited until Conley won the primary to throw her formal support. 

“I’m grateful to the DCCC for standing with our campaign and recognizing what voters across the Hudson Valley already know: together, we're going to flip this seat, take back the House, and finally deliver real results for the working families of NY-17,” Conley told City & State.