Dems separated by 29 votes in NY House primary
© Getty Images

The Democratic primary race to pick a candidate to face Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) this fall remained too close to call late Tuesday night.

Former Southampton town supervisor Anna Throne-Holst had an edge of just 29 votes over venture capitalist and former Suffolk County Planning Commission chairman David Calone with all precincts counted, according to a projection by The Associated Press.

Whoever emerges as the winner, which could take days to settle, will contend in what will likely be one of the most closely watched House races of the cycle.

ADVERTISEMENT

Throne-Holst secured endorsements from EMILY’s List, which works to elect female candidates in support of abortion rights, as well from as Sen. Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandTlaib blasts Biden judicial nominee whose firm sued environmental lawyer The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Connected Commerce Council - Biden faces reporters as his agenda teeters Former aide says she felt 'abandoned' by Democrats who advanced Garcetti nomination as ambassador to India MORE (D-N.Y.).

Calone, meanwhile, was endorsed by the New York Times.

Democrats consider the eastern Long Island-area 1st district one of their top pickup opportunities in November, given that the seat was previously represented by a Democrat — former Rep. Tim BishopTimothy (Tim) Howard BishopOn The Trail: The political losers of 2020 Dem candidate 'struck by the parallels' between Trump's rise and Hitler's Dems separated by 29 votes in NY House primary MORE — for 12 years.
 
Nonpartisan political prognosticators including the Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics currently rate Zeldin’s race as a “toss-up,” the most competitive ranking.
 
Zeldin is an unequivocal supporter of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald TrumpDonald TrumpDeputy AG: DOJ investigating fake Trump electors Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz elected to Baseball Hall of Fame Overnight Health Care — Senators unveil pandemic prep overhaul MORE. Democrats will seek to tie Zeldin to Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric about women and minorities. 
 
President Obama carried the district in both 2008 and 2012. 
 
Should Zeldin lose reelection in November, Republicans would lose the only Jewish lawmaker in their ranks on Capitol Hill.
 
Zeldin recently drew controversy after he argued that President Obama is racist while defending Trump for his remarks about a Hispanic American judge.
 
Trump claimed that the judge, who was born in the U.S. to Mexican immigrants, couldn't be impartial while presiding over a lawsuit against Trump University because of his heritage.
 
"You can easily argue that the president of the United States is a racist with his policies and his rhetoric," Zeldin said during an appearance on CNN's "At This Hour." 
 
“My purpose here isn't to just go through the list and call everyone a racist. I'm saying that we all can up our game with rhetoric and policy because America, we are a nation of immigrants, we are a melting pot.”

Tags Kirsten Gillibrand Donald Trump Tim Bishop