NY-21: Dems Still Trying

​Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro/Watertown) won her Upstate New York congressional seat in 2014 at the age of 30.  Due to special circumstances and multi-candidate general elections, the Democrats had held this typically Republican district for three terms after veteran Rep. John McHugh (R-Watertown) resigned from Congress to become Secretary of the Army.  Ms. Stefanik was able to unite the disparate GOP base in a successful open seat campaign three years ago, and then scored a strong 62% win in her first re-election last November.  But, this is the type of place where Democrats must compete if they are to fight for the majority in 2018.  That being the case, businesswoman Tedra Cobb (D), a former eight-year member of the St. Lawrence County legislature, announced her congressional candidacy in a July 4th-related event.  Rep. Stefanik begins the race as a clear favorite, but all of the Upstate Republican CDs are now politically marginal.