With Rep. Jerry Nadler as the apparent frontrunner in the 12th Congressional District primary, Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s closing argument, like her opening one, is that it will take a woman to protect abortion rights.
“I never thought that I would have my daughter have less rights than the rights that I had when I was her age,” Maloney told NY1, calling her daughter, Virginia, to her side. “We need to reverse that.”
What You Need To Know
- On Sunday, Rep. Carolyn Maloney campaigned on the Upper East Side, Rep. Jerry Nadler on the Upper West Side and Suraj Patel was all over the district
- Maloney and her surrogates double down on the message that she would best protect women's rights
- Patel, with ice cream in tow, is aggressively getting out the vote ahead of Tuesday
The House Oversight Committee chair also campaigned Sunday with Equal Rights Amendment Coalition founder Carol Jenkins on Maloney’s home turf, the Upper East Side.
In recent days, Maloney’s attacks on Nadler as lacking in the physical fortitude to serve have intensified.
She said the two haven’t spoken since the new district lines came out in May and Nadler told her he’d be running against her.
NY1 asked Maloney whether she would back Nadler if he’s the victor on Tuesday.
“I will support whoever the Democratic nominee is, absolutely,” she responded.
Their challenger Suraj Patel, an attorney whose third bid for Congress is built around a call to turn the page on 1990s Democrats, made the same pledge.
“Of course,” he replied before referencing the reluctance by Maloney and Nadler at the Spectrum News NY1 and WNYC-Gothamist debate to say they would support President Joe Biden for re-election.
“I’m not the one who threw the president under the bus, either. I’m a team player here. And whoever wins this race, of course, we’re all a Democratic family,” he continued.
As has been the pattern in the last days of the campaign in the Manhattan district, Patel turns it all the way up, Maloney stays visible and voluble and Nadler is lower key.
Nadler was out Sunday with state legislators Brad Hoylman and Linda Rosenthal on the Upper West Side, where their base is located.
Through his co-campaign manager, Nadler said, yes, of course, when asked if he’d support Maloney or Patel if they win the primary. The House Judiciary Committee chair has seen his polling lead grow over Maloney.
Patel is trailing, but doesn’t seem one bit discouraged.
On Sunday, he campaigned with an ice cream truck, all over the district.
“We’re out here spreading what New Yorkers want: hope, optimism, cheer and ideas for the future,” he said. “And that’s why we’re everywhere. I’m averaging 25,000 steps a day right now.”