A look at key endorsements in the NY-17 Democratic congressional primary

The NY-17 Congressional District, located in New York’s bucolic Hudson Valley, is home to an ugly political battle between Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), head of the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx), an outspoken progressive insurgent.

Like other hot primary races, the stage for the fight was set by court-ordered redistricting, which scrambled both candidates’ plans.

[ Map mayhem for New York Democrats as new congressional and state Senate boundaries revealed ]

Biaggi launched a primary bid against Maloney in May after he rankled fellow Dems by running for a neighboring seat following the state’s redistricting mess. Maloney currently represents the 18th Congressional District.

However, he decided to run for the redrawn suburban 17th, which covers parts of Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties, after Dem-crafted maps were ruled unconstitutional and his hometown of Cold Spring was no longer in the 18th.

That led incumbent Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) instead to take a stab at an open seat in Manhattan. Biaggi then dropped plans to run for a Queens and Nassau County-centric House seat to challenge Maloney.

Nothing says Democratic insider like scoring the endorsement of a former president.

Maloney starts with backing no less than former President Bill Clinton, whose Chappaqua home is in the district.

Interestingly, Hillary Clinton has not endorsed anyone so far, perhaps out of deference to Biaggi, who worked on her 2016 White House bid.

Maloney is also endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and former Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), who represented the seat until she retired in 2020, clearing the way for Jones.

He boasts the support of several town supervisors and mayors including the leaders of Peekskill, Ossining and Nyack

Three assembly members and two state senators are also backing him, along with three members of county legislatures, several labor union locals and the state AFL-CIO.

Somewhat surprisingly, none of Maloney’s colleagues in the House of Representatives have backed him so far. Neither Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) nor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has taken sides either.

Biaggi’s biggest endorsement by far is that of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)

The progressive firebrand leader stated that Biaggi would be a powerful ally for left-wing causes in Congress, while Maloney has steered a moderate course.

“We can count on her to stand with our movement on critical issues such as abortion rights, championing the Green New Deal and Medicare for All,” Ocasio-Cortez said in an endorsement

[ Biaggi wins support of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in primary fight with Sean Patrick Maloney ]

The granddaughter of former Bronx Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-N.Y.) also boasts the backing of actress Cynthia Nixon, who mounted a failed progressive challenge to ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

She also has the support of the left-leaning Working Families Party and the Sunrise Movement, along with a United Auto Workers union local.