Chappaqua's Evelyn Farkas, former defense official, joins race for Nita Lowey's House seat

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy | The Journal News

Chappaqua resident Evelyn Farkas, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President Barack Obama who has claimed to be among the first to sound the alarm on Russian interference in the 2016 election, is launching her campaign to succeed longtime Rep. Nita Lowey in New York’s 17th Congressional District.

"I have served my nation for quite some time and when I served as Obama's deputy assistant secretary of defense, I was responsible for our policy toward Russia, Ukraine and 12 Eastern European countries. I was one of the first people to ring the alarm about Russia's intervention in our election," Farkas, 51, told The Journal News/lohud Monday.

"And really from that moment on, I've been fighting to protect our democracy and fighting again this president through erosion of the rule of law in our country. And I feel like it's a moment for all hands on deck. So when Rep.Lowey announced that she was retiring, I decided that I was going to run and follow her path, if you will."

Farkas said she'd be able from day one to bring home results for the district.

"I have legislated at the federal level for almost a decade," she said. "I know how to get things done. And so not only can I work obviously on the big agenda of protecting America from foreign interference, from the erosion in our rights, but also in helping the district improve the quality of life for the families and the people that live in it."

She also on Monday announced her candidacy on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" program.

The district encompasses Rockland County and parts of Westchester County.

Farkas, a daughter of immigrants who fled communist Hungary and grew up in Chappaqua, has been a foreign policy leader in the defense department, Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She has advised former defense secretaries and senators, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. As deputy assistant secretary of defense under Obama, Farkas was responsible for U.S. policy toward Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia.

Her parents are 50-year residents of Chappaqua, and live in the house she grew up in. Farkas, who graduated from Horace Greeley High School in 1985. moved back to Chappaqua earlier this year. She is single.

For the last several years, Farkas has been a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and German Marshall Fund and a National Security Contributor for NBC/MSNBC.

“I would be ready on day one to serve in the tradition of Congresswoman Lowey’s strong leadership — fighting for our corner of New York, keeping our country safe from foreign interference and helping working families strive for the American dream,” she said.

So far in the race are New York state Sen. David Carlucci of New City and state Assemblyman David Buchwald of White Plains. Mondaire Jones, who previously worked for the U.S. Department of Justice under Obama, has been in the race since before Lowey’s announcement and planned to primary her from the left. Alison Fine, a Sleepy Hollow resident and the former chairwoman of the national board of NARAL Pro Choice America Foundation, is also running.

The congressional primary will be held June 23, 2020. The 2020 general election will take place Nov. 3.

After graduating from Chappaqua public schools, Farkas earned her bachelor’s degree from Franklin & Marshall College and her master’s and Ph.D. from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University’s Fletcher School.

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NITA LOWEY: Longtime congresswoman won't seek reelection in 2020

The rest of the field so far:

DAVID BUCHWALD: Assemblyman announces he will run for U.S. Rep. Lowey's seat in Congress

DAVID CARLUCCI: State senator in the race for Nita Lowey's House seat

ALISON FINE: Sleepy Hollow pro choice activist jumps into race for Nita Lowey's House seat

MONDAIRE JONES: Progressive Democrat announces 2020 House run

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy covers women and power for the USA Today Network Northeast. Write to her at svenugop@lohud.com