The Cook Political Report, an online political newsletter, is calling the 2018 race for New York’s 19th Congressional District against incumbent GOP Rep. John Faso a toss-up, even with 16 months to go before the general election.

In a post on Friday, Cook said danger signs are everywhere for the GOP, citing President Donald Trump’s approval ratings in the high 30s, low support for the GOP’s health-care legislation and Democrats overperforming despite failing in special elections. They also said polling shows House Republicans tying or trailing real and hypothetical opponents.

But even as clouds seem to darken for some House Republicans' races, the report warned that such early dissatisfaction means Republicans have plenty of time to prepare.

“Taken as a whole, the evidence would seem to point to a wave election that would justify moving a slew of races into the Toss Up column and threaten GOP control of the House,” the report says. “Except, the election isn’t this November; it’s still 16 months away. The fact these warning lights are flashing now means Republicans won’t be caught off guard like many incumbents were in 2006 and 2010 — they will have time to raise millions, conduct opposition research and define their opponents early. And Democrats aren’t rushing to topple Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has proven an effective foil for GOP House candidates.”

Faso’s district is one of 10 House districts nationwide Cook has changed to favor Democrats. The 19th district includes all or part of 11 counties, including all of Ulster and Sullivan. Cook changed the 19th district from “leans Republican” to “toss up.”

Faso, who is serving his first term in the House, hails from Kinderhook in Columbia County. He’s an attorney and a former state assemblyman. Eight Democrats have so far emerged to take on Faso.

Here’s Cook’s assessment of next year's election: "Toss Up. Despite his long tenure in Upstate politics, Faso was one of just 15 Republicans to win by single digits in 2016 — and he did so against a very liberal, carpetbagging Democrat. Now he’s facing a deluge of opponents. Democrats are perhaps most high on West Point graduate and Iraq veteran Pat Ryan, but the dynamic could change if 2016 nominee Zephyr Teachout or Ulster County Executive Mike Hein get in."

Hein has said he plans to make a decision on whether he’ll run by the end of this month.

Ryan, one of the eight Democrats already seeking to challenge Faso, announced last week that his campaign had raised $210,000 in the three weeks since he threw his hat into the ring.

James Nani

Brabenec had the most Albany expenses in region

Assemblyman Karl Brabenec has requested more than $14,000 in reimbursement from the state for gas, meals and lodging for his travels to Albany for this year’s legislative session, the highest total in per diems and travel costs among the 11 Assembly members and senators representing parts of Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties.

Expense totals posted online by the state Comptroller’s Office on Thursday reflect reimbursements state legislators had sought through June 30 for the 60-day legislative session that ended June 21, and perhaps for the two days they reported for duty last week to tend to unfinished business.

Brabenec, a Deerpark Republican who lives farther from the capital than other lawmakers from this region, led the list at this time last year as well, although Sen. John Bonacic wound up with the highest expense total for 2016 after subsequent claims were filed. Bonacic and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther also have long drives, and they followed Brabenec in this week’s totals with more than $13,000 and $11,000 in expense reimbursements, respectively.

Lawmakers are paid a fixed amount for meals and lodging in Albany for the days they work there, regardless of how much they actually spend. They get $59 a day for meals and $116 for each night in a hotel.

As in the past, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill and Sen. James Seward both sought reimbursement for airfare to attend conferences. Cahill’s plane travel cost $1,967; Seward’s was $1,037.

Here are the total for the eight legislators who will be repaid for expenses:

— Assemblyman Karl Brabenec, R-Deerpark: $14,353

— Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope: $13,206

— Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, D-Forestburgh: $11,354

— Sen. James Seward, R-Milford: $10,707

— Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston: $9,707

— Assemblyman James Skoufis, D-Woodbury: $9,639

— Assemblyman Brian Miller, R-New Hartford: $5,678

— Sen. Bill Larkin, R-Cornwall-on-Hudson: $4,696

The same three lawmakers who charged no expenses in 2016 also put in for no reimbursements this year: Sen. George Amedore, R-Rotterdam; Assemblyman Peter Lopez, R-Schoharie; and Assemblyman Frank Skartados, D-Milton.

Five of the above 11 lawmakers were present for all 60 days in this year’s session, according to Senate and Assembly attendance records provided under the state Freedom of Information Law.

The lawmakers with perfect attendance were Seward, Brabenec, Cahill, Lopez and Miller.

Skoufis missed four session days in June after his mother died in Florida, the first time he has been absent in his five years in Albany. Gunther didn’t attend three session days; Bonacic, Larkin and Amedore each missed two days; and Skartados had a single absence.

This year’s session was spread over 25 weeks from Jan. 4 to June 21. Lawmakers had no session days on four of those weeks, and only one week had five session days. Voting was particularly sparse in February, which had only five session days, and April, which had six session days.

Chris McKenna

Stop 'Smoggy Skies Act,' NY House members urged



A slew of environmental groups have urged New York’s 27 members of the House of Representatives to reject a bill they say would worsen air pollution by forcing the federal government to consider at the outset how much it would cost businesses to comply with new emission standards.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017 in a 29-24 vote on June 28, clearing the way for a potential vote by the full House once it returns from its July 4 recess on Monday. Environmental groups have dubbed it the “Smoggy Skies Act.”

“We believe this bill represents a sweeping attack on the public health underpinnings of the Clean Air Act, and we request you speak out against and vote ‘No’ on this bill,” read a June 14 letter to New York’s House members, signed by representatives of the Sierra Club and 32 other organizations.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has said the bill would delay implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2015 ozone emission standards until 2025 and let states “pursue cost-effective and practical implementation” of them. Manufacturers, who had sued over the new standards, have praised the bill.

New York has 18 Democrats — including Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of Cold Spring — and nine Republicans — including Rep. John Faso of Kinderhook — in its delegation. Maloney opposed the same legislation last year when the House approved it in a largely party-line vote. Faso was not in Congress then, and is not among its 22 current co-sponsors or on the committee that approved the bill last month. His predecessor, Chris Gibson, also a Republican, voted against the bill last year.

Chris McKenna