NY-18: Pat Ryan (D)

Replacing:

Sean Patrick Maloney (D)[i]

WORK HISTORY:

Ulster County (County Executive); Council on Foreign Relations (Team Member); New Politics (Senior Advisor); Second Front Systems (Co-Founder / Board Member); (Senior Vice President, Public Sector); Dataminr, Inc. (Senior Vice President); Praescient Analytics (Co-Founder / President); Berico Technologies (Deputy Director for Analysis); US Army (Intelligence Officer)[ii]

Education:

BA, US Military Academy at West Point; MA, Georgetown University[iii]

Campaigned On:

Leveling the Playing Field; Protecting Our Foundational Freedoms; Keeping Our Community Safe; Safeguarding Our Environment[iv]

On the Issues

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Ryan is pro-choice and has pledged to “fight to re-establish the protections guaranteed by Roe v. Wade.” He opposes a National Abortion Ban, and following the recent Dobbs decision, argued that “freedom includes a woman’s right to choose.”[v] [vi] He supports access to contraceptives.[vii]

ECONOMY, JOBS & TAXES:

To reduce inflation, Ryan has said he plans to go “after price-gougers,” secure a tax cut for “middle-class voters,” and ensure that billionaires and corporations “pay their fair share.” A supporter of organized labor and unions, Ryan also announced during the campaign that he will seek to pass paid family leave and advocate for equal pay.[viii] He has previously called for expanding broadband access. [ix]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Ryan supports universal health care, opposes cutting funding for Medicare or Social Security, and has pledged to stop attempts to privatize the programs.[x] [xi] He is against cutting funding for Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage, which he said “helped more than 330,000 seniors supplement their out-of-pocket Medicare Part D drug plan costs,” and supports funding opioid treatment programs.[xii] [xiii] Notably, in comments touting the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, Ryan claimed the bill will lower the “cost of healthcare, Rx drugs, and energy.”[xiv]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

The New Yorker has said that he favors an approach that focuses on public safety and economic opportunity to fix the current immigration system. He has contended that the nation must secure its borders through a “sophisticated approach” by embracing cutting-edge technologies and placing more border security at strategic locations. He also said he believes criminals and cartels going through the nation’s borders should be dealt with, while immigrants entering the country legally should be permitted to do so to expand the employment pool for businesses that rely on immigrant labor.[xv]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

As Ulster County Executive, Ryan increased funding for the county’s law enforcement and URGENT violent crime task force. [xvi] In a tweet in support of President Biden’s decision to pardon all federal simple marijuana possessions, Ryan called the move “a step toward justice that has the potential to unlock new industry, create good-paying jobs, and provide an economic boom for the country.”[xvii] He supports federally legalizing cannabis.[xviii]

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS & ELECTION SECURITY:

Ryan has expressed support for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and has pledged to “make sure our right to vote is protected and enshrined.”[xix] In a July 2022 tweet, he criticized 157 Republican members of Congress for voting against a bill that he said would “protect the right to same-sex marriage.”[xx]

EDUCATION:

An advocate of tuition-free public colleges, Ryan has expressed support for public schools and opposition to school vouchers and charter schools.[xxi] [xxii] Notably, he spoke favorably of President Biden’s decision to forgive certain student loans.[xxiii]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

To combat climate change, Ryan has called for investing in electric public transportation, training for jobs in “green” careers, and “standing against big polluters who want to damage the Hudson Valley's precious natural resources.” Notably, as Ulster County Executive, he committed the county to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030.[xxiv]

BIG TECH & DATA PRIVACY:

A strong advocate against corporate monopolies, Ryan expressed disappointment at Google’s refusal to attend the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearings and claimed, “We must demand real action and accountability from big tech.” [xxv] [xxvi]

GUN SAFETY

According to his campaign website, Ryan supports several gun reform measures, including red flag laws, an assault weapons ban, and background checks on all firearm sales.[xxvii] He has also consistently called for removing “weapons of war” from schools.[xxviii]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Ryan favors sanctions against supporters of the invasion of Ukraine.[xxix] He has touted legislation that he said would make US manufacturing more competitive with China.[xxx]