Who's running in New York's 20th congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Paul Tonko currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Protecting access to reproductive health care after the reversal of Roe v. Wade; he is endorsed by Planned Parenthood.
Climate action, which he describes as both a national security priority and a source of Capital Region jobs.
Mental health and the opioid crisis, including the stigma faced by people with mental illness.
Economic opportunity in long-underserved communities.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 20th District since January 2009.
Member of the New York State Assembly for two decades before Congress.
Also carries the Working Families Party line on the November ballot.
Advanced from the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary.
Arguments in favor
He legislates on the specific thing driving Capital Region electricity bills up: his bill would require artificial intelligence data centres to pay for the grid upgrades they force, with consumer backstops, work endorsed by the Consumer Federation of America and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
— Paul Tonko's office, reported by CBS 6 Albany
He still takes open questions in person — at a Ballston town hall he fielded questions on the Epstein files and set out his call for ICE to be disbanded rather than routing constituents to a phone line.
— Daily Gazette and News10 reporting on his town hall
Arguments against
"Paul Tonko has spent decades dismantling the foundation of our energy independence... he has relied on ideological policies that restrict every reliable energy source in favor of non-scalable alternatives" — including his 2022 vote for the Inflation Reduction Act and its roughly $370 billion in clean energy funding, which has pushed up utility bills for people here.
— Ralph Ambrosio
He wants to abolish ICE, a position out of step with a district that is not New York City.
— Ralph Ambrosio, responding to Tonko's Ballston town hall
What we couldn’t verify
Tonko's response to the utility-bill charge was not established from the sources found.
His committee assignments were not established from the sources found.
No National Republican Congressional Committee page about him by name was found; the case above comes from his opponent.
U.S. Navy, 1970 to 1976, active duty and reserves.
New York State Police officer, 1977 to 1989 and 1999 to 2010, including service in the Division Counsel's office.
Assistant district attorney in Greene and Columbia counties, 1989 to 1996; public defender; assistant attorney general under Dennis Vacco; private practice attorney.
Clarkson University graduate; earned his law degree while serving.
Resident of Delmar since 1985.
Also carries the Conservative Party line on the November ballot.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Ambrosio by name could be found: not from Paul Tonko or his campaign, not from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and not from Capital Region news coverage. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either, rather than showing his own campaign's case unanswered.
He was the Republican candidate for Albany County District Attorney in 2025 and lost; no published criticism framed around that record was found.
His fundraising totals were not reported in material available.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
New York held its primary on June 23, 2026. Democratic incumbent Paul Tonko, who also carries the Working Families line, faces Republican Ralph Ambrosio, who also carries the Conservative Party line, in this Capital Region district. New York allows fusion voting. The 2026 elections use the congressional map enacted on February 28, 2024. Roster from the New York qualifying lists as reported by Politics1 and Wikipedia. Neither candidate is listed with arguments for or against here: no published criticism of either candidate by name from someone opposing them could be found, and setting out a case against one and not the other would tilt the page.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A New York ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at New York State Board of Elections.