John Ferro

Poughkeepsie Journal

Acknowledging a deeply troubled electorate and vowing to put aside "partisan impulses," Republican John Faso is looking ahead to 2017 and taking a seat in Congress after defeating Democratic challenger Zephyr Teachout in the hotly contested 19th Congressional District race.

The district includes all of Ulster County and all but the southwestern portion of Dutchess. It also includes all of Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie and Sullivan counties, as well as parts of Broome, Montgomery and Rensselaer counties.

WATCH: Faso, Teachout discuss issues with Journal

In a statement, Faso said he would "work for the common good."

"By the turnout today, the American people have said that they want us to work together to solve problems," Faso said in his statement. "... Our best days are ahead of us, but only if we hear the voices of the American people and act — as Lincoln said — ‘touched by the better angels of our nature.’"

The term is for two years and the annual salary is $174,000.

In a statement, Teachout said she was proud of her campaign.

"We gave the billionaires trying to buy our elections a real run for their money," she said.

She credited parents, teachers, veterans, farmers and small-business owners in the district for making the race as close as it was.

Dylan Zimmermann, 23 of Highland, said he supported Faso.

"He is the right candidate for the job," Zimmermann said. "Zephyr Teachout has not managed to pay her taxes and I don't believe she is in favor of the small-business owners of America."

Jesse Patterson, a 26-year-old New Paltz resident, said he attended Teachout's rally in New Paltz and voted for her in order to increase the Democratic count in the House of Representatives.

Carol Falcone, a 50-year-old New Paltz resident, said she supported Teachout and felt Faso was standing with Trump.

In the final months before election day, Democrats surged ahead of Republicans in the number of active, enrolled voters in the district.

Democrats added twice as many new registrants (5,003) as Republicans (2,463) between April 1 to Nov. 1, according to the state Board of Elections.

That gave Democrats a slight lead — 137,821 to 137,656 — over Republicans in total active registrants. Independents accounted for 119,144 active registrants.

Teachout, 44, of the Town of Clinton, serves as a law professor and attorney.

Faso, 64, of Kinderhook, is an attorney and former state Assemblyman.

Teachout campaigned on a platform of rooting out corruption and ending the influence of interests grdvoups, lobbyists and large corporations.

Her areas of focus including local farming and protecting local waterways.

Faso fought against high taxes and burdensome regulation.

Stagnant or declining wages, job losses and exorbitant property taxes have been driving residents out of the state, he said.

John Ferro: 845-437-4816, jferro@poughkeepsiejournal.com, Twitter: @PoJoEnviro