NEW YORK — It might come down to luck and a little bit of prayer in the home stretch in the 11th Congressional District, the most contested race in New York City this year and one of the most closely watched congressional contests in the country. 

Rep. Max Rose, a first-term Democrat, is fighting off a challenge from Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, and it feels like a dead heat, with both candidates projecting confidence. 

What You Need To Know

  • Rose secured the backing of clergy leaders in the Port Richmond section of Staten Island

  • Malliotakis has tried to tie Rose to Mayor de Blasio, who is unpopular in parts of the district

  • Rose is a first-term congressman who ran as an centrist Democrat

  • Both campaigns say there may be no clear winner come election night

"It's not about an election; it's about what we want this country to look like for our children," Rose said Saturday, standing beside clergy leaders in Staten Island.

Rose was in the Port Richmond section of Staten Island, where he got the backing of local clergy representing a community that could be key in his fight against Malliotakis, who is popular in other parts of the borough. 

Rev. Tony Baker said the neighborhood's Black community could play a pivotal role in the race. 

"We are in the margin of error, a real possibility — to keep this seat from a person we've never seen in our community — is in our hands," Parker said. "Go out and vote for this man, Captain Max Rose."

Meanwhile in the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn, Malliotakis was bumping elbows and meeting voters on their shopping trip. The main line of attack was clear: Rose is a Democrat, he's allied with Mayor Bill de Blasio and that means public safety is at risk. 

"Max sided with Bill de Blasio," Malliotakis said. "Public safety is by far the number one issue I hear about when I'm in the community. People are reading about it, they see it, they feel it."

But that's not all true. The Republican-leaning swing district did go for Donald Trump in 2016, and although Malliotakis didn’t back Trump then, she's seized his narrative, connecting Democrats to crime and disorder. Despite her claims, de Blasio has not endorsed Rose in this race.

"People want law and order, they want the economy to reopen, they want the American Dream to be preserved, they're worried about socialism," Malliotakis said.

With just days to go before the polls close, both campaigns acknowledge there might be no clear winner on election night.

A recent poll showed both candidates remain neck and neck, so like the presidential election, the results of this race will be determined by the strength of voter turnout.

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