Who's running in New York's 25th 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 · Joe Morelle 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.
Health care: ending surprise medical billing, lowering prescription drug costs, and opposing efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
Expanding childcare access, affordable housing and workforce training.
Climate action.
Common-sense gun reform.
Reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ equality, support for veterans and access to education.
Democracy reform and anti-corruption measures.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 25th District since November 2018.
Ranking member of the House Administration Committee and vice ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.
Majority leader of the New York State Assembly; earlier a Monroe County legislator.
Former small business owner.
Also carries the Working Families Party line on the November ballot.
Arguments in favor
He legislates on artificial intelligence harms rather than talking about them: he wrote the bill against non-consensual deepfake pornography and has argued publicly for "strong guardrails around AI" in election advertising.
— Joe Morelle, reported by the Rochester Beacon
He has represented Monroe County at every level — county legislator, state assembly member, and in Congress since 2018 — and has won re-election here repeatedly.
— Joe Morelle's campaign
Arguments against
"Joe Morelle is taking a gift from Trump's biggest backers and won't explain why... Tech oligarchs don't spend money without expecting something in return. They're investing in Joe Morelle because they believe he'll deliver for them." She also accuses him of "red-boxing" — posting material on his website for a PAC's use without proper disclosure.
— Robin Wilt, his Democratic primary opponent, reported by the Rochester Beacon
He and the Democratic establishment have not pushed hard enough against the administration, and he lacks grassroots support of his own.
— Robin Wilt, reported by the Rochester Beacon
What we couldn’t verify
Morelle did not respond to the Rochester Beacon's request for comment on the AI-PAC spending before publication, and no later response was 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 a primary opponent.
Republican nominee for the 25th District; also carries the Conservative Party line.
Won the June 23, 2026 Republican primary.
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 McIntyre by name could be found: not from Joe Morelle or his campaign, not from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and not from Rochester news coverage, which centred on the Democratic primary. Because no case against her exists on the record, none is presented for her either, rather than showing her own campaign's case unanswered.
Her positions and record were not stated in material available beyond her campaign site.
Her 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 Joe Morelle, who also carries the Working Families line, faces Republican Virginia McIntyre, who also carries the Conservative Party line, in this Rochester and Monroe County 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.