SYRACUSE - After a near miss in 2006, Democrats recaptured the Syracuse area congressional seat after almost 30 years of Republican control.
Democrat Dan Maffei won the race to succeed Republican congressman James Walsh.
Maffei garnered 54 percent of the votes with 79 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday.
His opponent, longtime county legislator Dale Sweetland, had 43 percent.
Maffei, 40, an Ivy League-educated, Washington-groomed financial professional, came within 3,400 votes of upsetting the veteran Walsh in 2006.
The 25th Congressional District was one of four in the state Democrats hoped they could flip from Republicans. Democrats currently hold a 23-6 advantage in the delegation.
The last Democratic representative from the Syracuse area was James Hanley, who served eight terms before retiring in 1980.
When Hanley ran, enrolled Republicans outnumbered Democrats 2-to-1.
This year, the parties were almost even: There are 153,173 Republicans and 149,066 Democrats in the district.
Maffei raised more than $2 million, about seven times the amount raised by Sweetland.
The district also includes rural portions of Cayuga, Monroe and Wayne counties.
Also on the ballot was Green Populist candidate Howie Hawkins, a local activist, unsuccessful in 13 previous bids for elected office.
Republican Randy Kuhl loses re-election bid
CORNING - GOP Rep. Randy Kuhl has been defeated by the Democratic challenger who almost beat him two years ago.
Democrat Eric Massa, a retired Navy commander, had 51 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts reporting in the sprawling district that runs along the state's border with Pennsylvania and reaches up toward Rochester.
Kuhl was elected in 2004 and beat back a challenge from Massa in 2006, but could not survive another difficult election climate for Republicans, both in New York and around the country.
The race generated national interest as the Democrats sought to expand their majority in the House of Representatives.
The national parties spent more than $1 million combined on the Kuhl-Massa race.
Maffei garnered 54 percent of the votes with 79 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday.
His opponent, longtime county legislator Dale Sweetland, had 43 percent.
Maffei, 40, an Ivy League-educated, Washington-groomed financial professional, came within 3,400 votes of upsetting the veteran Walsh in 2006.
The 25th Congressional District was one of four in the state Democrats hoped they could flip from Republicans. Democrats currently hold a 23-6 advantage in the delegation.
The last Democratic representative from the Syracuse area was James Hanley, who served eight terms before retiring in 1980.
When Hanley ran, enrolled Republicans outnumbered Democrats 2-to-1.
This year, the parties were almost even: There are 153,173 Republicans and 149,066 Democrats in the district.
Maffei raised more than $2 million, about seven times the amount raised by Sweetland.
The district also includes rural portions of Cayuga, Monroe and Wayne counties.
Also on the ballot was Green Populist candidate Howie Hawkins, a local activist, unsuccessful in 13 previous bids for elected office.
Republican Randy Kuhl loses re-election bid
CORNING - GOP Rep. Randy Kuhl has been defeated by the Democratic challenger who almost beat him two years ago.
Democrat Eric Massa, a retired Navy commander, had 51 percent of the vote with 99 percent of precincts reporting in the sprawling district that runs along the state's border with Pennsylvania and reaches up toward Rochester.
Kuhl was elected in 2004 and beat back a challenge from Massa in 2006, but could not survive another difficult election climate for Republicans, both in New York and around the country.
The race generated national interest as the Democrats sought to expand their majority in the House of Representatives.
The national parties spent more than $1 million combined on the Kuhl-Massa race.
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