Incumbent Republican legislators Rep. Claudia Tenney and Assemblymember David DiPietro handily beat challengers in Tuesday’s primary, all but guaranteeing that they return to Washington and Albany, respectively.
Claudia Tenney wins race for the 24th Congressional District
Tenney won her race to represent the 24th Congressional District with just shy of 60% of the vote. The race was called just minutes after polls closed.
She was challenged by Mario Fratto, a Geneva, New York native who owns Geneva Granite. Fratto also ran against Tenney in the 2022 Republican primary in a three-way race.
There appears to have been no love lost between Tenney and Fratto, at least according to their campaign mailers.
Tenney’s fliers called Fratto “far left,” “dangerous to New York families” and “a tool of the DC establishment” — all while touting her own record and her endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Fratto fired right back, pointing out that Tenney doesn’t live in the 24th Congressional District and accusing “New York’s biggest RINO” of supporting transgender rights and gun control.
The victory advances Tenney to the general election, although her opponent — Brockport, New York native and Democrat David Wagenhauser — is unlikely to prevail in the heavily red 24th Congressional District.
The 24th Congressional District stretches from Western New York to Watertown. It includes Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties, as well as parts of Niagara County.
David DiPietro wins race for the 147th Assembly District
DiPietro won his party’s nomination in a landslide with 80% of the vote, routing a challenge from Mitch Martin, a chief in the Erie County Sheriff’s Office.
Both candidates ran on policy platforms that included gun rights, cutting spending and supporting agriculture. Trump endorsed DiPietro late in the race, which Martin attempted to counter by promoting his endorsements from Erie County Sheriff John Garcia and several of the district’s mayors and town supervisors.
The primary victory puts DiPietro on the path to a seventh term in the Assembly. He’ll face Democratic candidate and mental health professional Darci Cramer in November, but — like in the 24th Congressional District — the winner of the Republican primary is more than likely to prevail in the general election.
The 147th Assembly District includes southern Erie County and all of Wyoming County.