The House Republican campaign arm has added New York congressional hopeful Alison Esposito to its Young Guns program, which provides mentorship and other assistance to candidates running in competitive districts, Spectrum News has learned.

Esposito is seeking to unseat Democratic Congressman Pat Ryan in the Hudson Valley’s closely-watched 18th congressional district - one of the top targets for Republicans this fall as they look to hold onto and expand their House majority.

There are more than two dozen candidates in the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Young Guns program this year. In a statement, the head of the NRCC, North Carolina Congressman Richard Hudson, said, "Extreme House Democrats' border, crime and cost of living crises wrecked Americans' safety and security. Fortunately, these Republican candidates are already well on their way to running winning campaigns that will grow our House majority in November."

Esposito, who served in the NYPD for nearly 25 years, previously mounted an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor in New York two years ago. 

Last week, Ryan launched the first ad of his campaign against Esposito. It focuses on abortion rights. “Choice is on the ballot this fall, and my far-right opponent is a direct threat to reproductive freedom,” Ryan said in a statement about the ad.

As of the end of June, filings with the Federal Election Commission show Ryan has far outraised Esposito. Ryan had $3.5 million cash on hand, while Esposito had $729,000.