Democrats nominate established candidates; gain new traction on abortion

Democratic efforts to reframe the midterms around the debate over abortion gathered steam, with the party winning a special election for U.S. House in an evenly divided Upstate New York district Tuesday, where their candidate made the issue a centerpiece of his campaign. And in New York and Florida, Democratic primary voters nominated established candidates for governor and Congress in several closely watched intraparty contests, overwhelmingly choosing well-known officeholders aligned with party leadership over rivals who sought to steer the party in a different direction. Taken together, the results were a welcome sign for Democratic leaders seeking to rally the party base behind its incumbents and find ways to motivate voters to cast ballots against Republicans, who have long felt well-positioned to make big gains in November. Tuesday’s voting came on the heels of Democrats enacting sweeping legislation to fight global warming and bring down the cost of prescription drugs for seniors, among other things, boosting their hopes of averting a red wave in the fall.

In Florida, Rep. Charlie Crist, who was endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, prevailed over a more liberal female candidate in the Democratic primary for governor. In New York, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who won a last-minute endorsement from Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, beat out an experienced woman and a younger candidate of color. And Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee easily triumphed over an insurgent liberal challenger. “Tonight, mainstream won," Maloney said in his victory speech. “Common sense won. Democrats want candidates who get results and bring home the win.” Democratic party leaders were also encouraged by the special election in New York’s 19th Congressional District, where Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, the Democratic candidate, made abortion rights the cornerstone of his winning campaign against Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.