Brian Tumulty

USA Today

WASHINGTON - Dutchess County resident Zephyr Teachout, the associate professor of law at Fordham University who ran in a high-profile Democratic primary against Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014, announced Monday she is running for the 19th Congressional District seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Rep. Chris Gibson of Kinderhook.

The district covers seven counties and parts of four others in the mid-Hudson Valley and Catskills region.

Teachout, who ran on an anti-corruption platform, received only about one-third of the vote in the statewide primary against Cuomo. But she beat Cuomo in the 11 counties of the 19th District.

She recently emerged as the consensus choice of Democratic Party county leaders who interviewed four possible candidates.

“Throughout my career, I’ve never been afraid to stand up for ordinary citizens whose voices are drowned out by special interests, big corporations and powerful insiders,'' Teachout said in a press statement announcing her candidacy. "I’m running for Congress to give people their voices back so together we can address the real concerns facing our communities.''

Although Teachout still may face a Democratic primary in June, the support of the county leaders would have great impact helping her get endorsements from full county committees.

Another Democrat, Will Yandik, continues to consider running, according to spokeswoman Karen Feldman. "Will is continuing to receive encouragement from people and he’s evaluating his options,'' she said in an email Monday.

The 19th District race is rated a tossup by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

The Republican field was reduced to four earlier this month when state Assemblyman Peter Lopez announced he is withdrawing in order to care for his father, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Andrew Heaney, one of those four Republicans, has announced plans to gather petitions for a June 28 primary against former Assemblyman John Faso, who has the support of several Republican County committees to get on the ballot.

Faso has been endorsed by Republican County committees in Columbia, Greene, Schoharie and Sullivan counties. He also has the endorsement of Conservative Party committees in Columbia, Greene and Schoharie counties.

Faso, like Teachout, has run unsuccessfully for governor. He issued a statement Monday criticizing Teachout as a New York City-based candidate, although she moved to Dover a year ago.

"Professor Teachout is a radical who takes her cues from the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City,'' Faso said.

Meanwhile, Heaney recently criticized Faso as a "political insider and lobbyist.''

Heaney said in a statement Monday that Teachout's candidacy should make Republicans reconsider backing Faso. "The fact is Zephyr Teachout gained prominence as a crusader against Albany corruption and John Faso is the poster boy for her work,'' Heaney said. "A race between John and Zephyr will be all about John’s record — his record on ethics, his career as a lobbyist, political operative and Superpac employee — not about jobs, or national security or improving the quality of life in our region."

The two other Republicans seeking their party’s line are Bob Bishop and Robert Shaver.