The tense, and at times nasty, 12th Congressional District race between colleagues is coming to a close.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney spent Monday, the eve of the primary, on her Upper East Side stomping grounds.
“There is one thing that remains that I have not been able to do and that is to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and put women in the Constitution,” Maloney said at a rally. “Please send me back to finish the job!”
Rep. Jerry Nadler was on the Upper West Side, where his loyal, liberal base has boosted him into the front-runner position.
“It’s been a long campaign,” Nadler told NY1.
After Tuesday, at least one of these two titans of Democratic House leadership will be forced into retirement.
Challenger Suraj Patel — with exuberance on display, as always — has been working to unseat both.
“I’ve talked to quite literally thousands of voters,” Patel said in a speech. “Everything about New York is inspiring except for its politics.”
Patel, an attorney, rallied in the East Village among family. He could potentially lose his third bid for Congress.
“If I have to lose, I have to lose,” Patel said. “But we have left every single thing out there. I’m incredibly proud of the 170 pages of original policy we’ve written on this campaign.”
Nadler has the momentum. The House Judiciary Committee chair has highlighted where his record contrasts with Maloney’s, including his vote against the Iraq War and her vote for it.
“I think it’s about my voting record more than anything else,” Nadler said. “People understand that I took principled, progressive votes.”
Maloney, the House Oversight Committee chair, has sought to show tenacity and even ferocity where Nadler has stayed understated.
On Monday, she ticked off her priorities from the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act to the Equal Rights Amendment, taking a dig at Senator Chuck Schumer, who endorsed Nadler.
“Show that you are a leader for women and not voting against us,” Maloney said. “As leader of the Senate, it is time for you to schedule and find the votes for the ERA.”
Schumer spent the last few weeks helping to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
Maloney and Patel have voted early. Nadler is set to vote Tuesday on primary day.