
WASHINGTON — Democrats picked Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney on Thursday to lead their campaign organization into the 2022 elections, choosing a lawmaker from a Trump-friendly district over a top House Hispanic after last month’s voting dealt them unexpected losses and left them divided over the reasons.
Maloney, 54 and openly gay, is a four-term veteran from a mid-Hudson Valley district in New York that Donald Trump carried in 2016. He will chair the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in a cycle that should be challenging for his party.
Democrats lost seats in last month’s elections, and midterm congressional elections of newly elected presidents like President-elect Joe Biden are historically difficult for the party that controls the White House.
House Democrats elected Maloney over Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., by 119-107, according to a Democrat familiar with the voting. Cardenas, 57, is a four-term House lawmaker who has led BOLD PAC, the fundraising arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Democrats went into November’s month’s elections with a 232-197 House majority, with an independent and five vacancies, and expectations that they would gain seats.
While the party is assured of retaining House control next year, they will have a far smaller majority. A dozen Democratic incumbents were defeated, and another may lose with a handful of races still uncalled. No Republican incumbents were defeated.
Since last month, Democrats have argued internally over why they lost seats in an election many from both parties thought would see Democratic gains of perhaps 15 seats. The party did worse than expected in many suburban districts that are home to moderate voters, and among Hispanic voters in places like South Florida.
119 Maloney – 107 Cardenas
rn{% endblock %}"},"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/limit-signup-optimizely/start"},{"id":"limit-signup","count":12,"action":"ignore","mute":true,"action_config":{"template":"{% extends "grid" %}rnrn{% block heading_text %}Youu2019ve read your 10 free articles for this 30 day period. Sign up now for local coverage you wonu2019t find anywhere else, special sections and your favorite columnists. StarTribune puts Minnesota and the world right at your fingertips. {% endblock %}rnrn{% block last %}rn{{ parent() }}rn{# limit Krux pixel from https://www.squishlist.com/strib/customshop/328/ #}rnrnrn{% endblock %}"},"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/limit-signup/start"},{"id":"meter-desktop-331","count":10,"action":"ignore","mute":false,"action_config":false,"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/meter-desktop-331/start"},{"id":"PDA991499opt","count":9,"action":"ignore","mute":true,"action_config":false,"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/PDA991499opt/start"},{"id":"limit","count":8,"action":"inject","mute":false,"action_config":{"template":"
rnrnrnrn
rn"},"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/limit/start"},{"id":"nag","count":7,"action":"lightbox","mute":true,"action_config":{"height":null,"width":"630px","redirect_on_close":null,"template":"{% extends "shell" %}rnrn{% block substyles %}rn
rn{% endblock %}rnrn{% block page %}rn{#rnrn{{ limit - count - 1 }}rnrn{{ form.flow_form_open({nextAction: 'firstSlide'}, null, null, '_top') }}rn {{ form.btn('Save Now') }}rn{{ form.flow_form_close() }}rnrn
rnrnrnu2022 rnrnrnrn#}rn
You have {{ limit - count - 1 }} articles left
rn
rn rn u00a0u00a0u2022u00a0u00a0rn rn
rn
rn
rn rn
Over 70% off!
rn
 }})
rn
rn
99u00a2 for first 4 weeks
rn {{ form.flow_form_open({nextAction: 'firstSlide'}, null, null, '_top') }}rn {{ form.button('Save Now', 'btn nag-btn') }}rn {{ form.flow_form_close() }}rn
rn
rn{% endblock %}rnrn{% block last %}rn{{ parent() }}rnrn{% endblock %}"},"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/nag/start"},{"id":"x","count":4,"action":"ignore","mute":true,"action_config":false,"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/x/start"},{"id":"multi-start","count":3,"action":"fly_in","mute":true,"action_config":{"location":"bottom_left","slide_direction":"bottom","group_id":null,"display_delay":"0","collapse_delay":"10","template":"
rn
"},"start":"https://users.startribune.com/placement/1/environment/3/multi-start/start"}]};
More Stories
Want to Sell Your House? Here Are the Home Selling Tips For Homeowners
Use Private Duty Home Care Instead of Institutional Living for Mom Or Dad
The Infertile Mormon