KINGSTON – Republican Jackie Auringer, who is challenging Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-18) for his seat in November, has released her own “Hudson Valley Accountability Pledge.”
Auringer shared her own pledge a day after Ryan criticized her for failing to sign his “Positive Campaign Pledge.” The incumbent had set Tuesday as the deadline to sign the document, but Auringer never put her John Hancock on it, and Ryan called her out on it.
Auringer maintains she never refused to sign a positive campaign pledge. The Ryan camp said they have never heard from their challenger about the pledge.
“Pat Ryan offered a pledge about positivity and then used it to launch a negative political attack,” Auringer said. “That is Washington politics as usual. My pledge is stronger, fairer, and focused on the voters, not protecting an incumbent.”
According to Auringer, Ryan’s proposal asked for a positive campaign while omitting basic protections against taxpayer-funded campaigning, ballot-access lawsuits, and limited debate access. Auringer’s proposal calls for no taxpayer-funded campaign-style franked mail after July 15, no frivolous lawsuits to remove candidates from the ballot and four debates, including one televised district-wide.
“If Pat Ryan truly wants a positive campaign, he should stop playing games and sign the stronger Hudson Valley Accountability Pledge,” said Auringer.
Asked for a response to Auringer, a spokesperson for Ryan forwarded an email from his campaign sent to Team Auringer at 7:19 p.m. on Wednesday night.
“We appreciate your additions and absolutely agree,” the email read in part. “We received it this morning from the press, so we have an amended version signed by Congressman Ryan, including all of your proposals below. Also, feel free to just communicate with us directly in the future. We did not know you planned on sending an amended pledge because you never told us. Wouldn’t want any more miscommunication, as it seems we’re all on board with running a positive, issues-based campaign!”
Ryan’s campaign team asked Auringer to sign the revised pledge by Friday.
Comments