Mondaire Jones, one of the first gay Black men in Congress, trails in House race
Rep. Mondaire Jones serves New York’s 17th Congressional District, but he ran in the race for the 10th District due to redistricting and appears headed for defeat.
Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., who made history in 2020 as one of the first gay Black men elected to serve in Congress, has seen his hopes for re-election fade as he trails two rivals in his crowded primary.
Jones has served the 17th Congressional District, but Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, another out congressman, who serves New York’s 18th District, announced in July that he would run in the 17th District because of redistricting. Rather than challenge Maloney or Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman in the 16th District, Jones moved to Brooklyn and chose to run in the 10th District.
The race was too close to call Thursday morning. With 98% of votes in, Dan Goldman, who was House Democrats’ counsel during the 2019 impeachment inquiry into then-President Donald Trump, was ahead, with 25.7% of the vote, and State Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou was close behind, with 23.7%. Jones was in third place, with 18.2% of the vote.
Dan Goldman speaks at a primary election night event Tuesday in New York.Craig Ruttle / APJones has not yet issued a statement and did not reply to requests for comment.
In 2020, Jones and Democrat Ritchie Torres, who won the race in New York’s 15th Congressional District, were elected as the first openly LGBTQ Black members of Congress.
Rating: 5