New York plays a key role in the Democrats’ quest to regain control of the House and overcome the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the government and to corrupt our democracy. Of the 26 NY congressional districts, Democrats hold a 19 to 7 edge. However, four key districts are rated as battlegrounds. Three are held by Democrats (NY-03, 04 and 19) while one (CD-17) is held by a Republican that is ripe for a flip. In 2024, Democrats regained three of the House seats they lost in 2022. Continuing that momentum is essential to controlling the House of Representatives.

In NY-17, incumbent Republican Mike Lawler appears to be vulnerable to a flip; the district voted for Kamala Harris in 2024. Lawler’s chaotic town hall meeting this year culminated in the forcible removal of a 64-year-old social worker who had the audacity to ask a question, giving Lawler a deeply troubling image. Democratic contender Cait Conley, a 16-year U.S. Army officer who served on the White House National Security Council and at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, is behind Lawler in fundraising. However, her campaign is gaining momentum as she has hit hard against Lawler's legislative record, particularly his votes on healthcare and Medicaid policies.

Three NY Democratically held seats have been targeted by the GOP. In NY-03, incumbent Tom Suozzi, who captured the seat once held by disgraced liar and Republican George Santos, is in a rematch from 2024 with opponent Michael LiPerti in one of the 23 Democratic-held districts that Trump won in 2024. LiPerti is Trump-endorsed. Democrat Laura Gillen, NY-04 is in her first term. Prior to being elected to the House Gillen was the first Democrat elected Hempstead town supervisor in 112 years. Josh Riley (NY-19) was elected in 2024. Early in his career, Riley turned down Wall Street offers to represent the American Academy for Pediatrics in a landmark civil rights lawsuit to help children from low-income families get access to healthcare.

• In NY-17, Democrat Conley's campaign website said, “The same politicians who created this mess won’t be the ones who fix it. She has the courage to do what’s right, the strength to fight and win against Donald Trump and his enablers like Mike Lawler.”
• Suozzi (NY-03) is running on his experience as a legislator and his bipartisan approach to building consensus, as demonstrated by serving as the co-chair of the House Problem Solver caucus.
• When Gillen (NY-04) served as Hempstead town supervisor she enacted cost saving measures that enabled the town to lower residents’ taxes after years of tax hikes.
• As a practicing attorney, Gillen worked as a litigator and did significant pro bono work for victims of domestic violence.
• Gillen’s Republican opponent is Jeanine Driscoll, who has raised little in campaign funds and is a little-known local tax receiver who only entered the race after Anthony D'Esposito dropped out.
• As general counsel to U.S. Senator Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Riley (NY-19) helped pass bipartisan legislation to protect survivors of domestic violence and combat the opioid epidemic.
• Riley’s Republican challenger is Peter Oberacker, food scientist and founder of FormTech Solutions, who served in the New York State Senate and is campaigning on a no-new-tax platform.