2018 New York Attorney General election explained

Election Name:2018 New York Attorney General election
Country:New York
Flag Image:Flag of New York (1909–2020).svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2014 New York Attorney General election
Previous Year:2014
Next Election:2022 New York Attorney General election
Next Year:2022
Election Date:November 6, 2018
Image1:File:Letitia James Interview Feb 2020.png
Nominee1:Letitia James
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:3,739,239
Percentage1:62.4%
Nominee2:Keith Wofford
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,108,600
Percentage2:35.2%
Map Size:305px
Attorney General
Before Election:Barbara Underwood
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Letitia James
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 2018 New York Attorney General election took place on November 6, 2018. New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, a Democrat, was elected. James is the first woman and the first African-American to be elected New York Attorney General.

Former attorney general Eric Schneiderman resigned on May 8, 2018, after allegations of domestic abuse and withdrew from his then-ongoing reelection campaign. Incumbent solicitor general Barbara Underwood was chosen by the legislature to complete her unexpired term, but opted not to seek election to a full term.

On September 13, 2018, James won the Democratic nomination for attorney general, defeating Leecia Eve, former senior policy advisor to U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton; Sean Patrick Maloney, U.S. Representative for New York's 18th congressional district; and Zephyr Teachout, professor at Fordham University School of Law. In the general election, James defeated Republican Party candidate Keith Wofford with over 60% of the vote.

In the general election, James carried every county won by Andrew Cuomo in the concurrent gubernatorial election as well as Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Orange, Duchess, Columbia, Broome, Cortland and Schenectady counties.

Background

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat, was first elected to the office of Attorney General in 2010, winning reelection in 2014. He was in the midst of campaigning for a third term in office when on May 7, 2018, The New Yorker revealed allegations that he had physically abused several women he had dated during his tenure in office.[1] Schneiderman resigned hours after the story was released, with the resignation taking effect at the end of the business day May 8; he did not seek re-election.[2] [3] [4]

Barbara Underwood, the solicitor general, took on the duties of Attorney General upon Schneiderman's resignation. A joint session of the New York State Legislature formally appointed Underwood to fill the rest of Schneiderman's term on May 22, after interviewing several potential candidates; of the 209 members in the State Legislature, 190 votes were cast in favor, with one (Charles Barron) voting against her in protest of the process, and 18 abstaining.[5] Underwood confirmed that she would not run for the office in the 2018 elections,[6] and returned to her previous position as solicitor general following the election.[7]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Filed

The following candidates were certified by the State Board of Elections as having filed for the primary ballot (James by state convention nomination and the others by submitting sufficient signatures):[8]

Withdrew

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Leecia
Eve		Letitia
James		Sean Patrick
Maloney		Zephyr
Teachout		OtherUndecided
Change Research (D)September 11–12, 2018844± 3.5%3%27%26% align=center28%– align=center16%
Siena CollegeSeptember 4–7, 2018509± 4.3%3%24% align=center25%18%1% align=center30%
Siena CollegeJuly 22–26, 2018630± 3.9%4% align=center25%16%13%– align=center42%
Quinnipiac UniversityJuly 12–16, 2018415± 6.2%3% align=center26%15%12%– align=center44%

Results

Turnout: 28.08%

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Qualified third parties

Conservative

Conservative Party of New York State chairman Michael R. Long indicated the party would cross-endorse the Republican nominee for attorney general.[19]

Working Families

Nominee: Letitia James.[24] The party endorsed both Letitia James and Zephyr Teachout prior to the September 13 primary election.[25] Kenneth Schaefer, who was nominated as the Working Families Party's dummy candidate,[26] withdrew by October 9 in favor of Democratic nominee Letitia James.[27]

Independence Party

Nominee: Letitia James. Victor J. Messina Jr., the original nominee,[28] [29] withdrew by October 9 as well.

Green Party

Nominee: Michael Sussman

Reform

On May 20, 2018, the Reform Party of New York State authorized four candidates to run for attorney general in its September 13, 2018 primary:

Results

Other third parties

Libertarian

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Letitia
James (D)		Keith
Wofford (R)		OtherUndecided
Siena CollegeOctober 28 – November 1, 2018641± 3.9% align=center49%37%0%14%
McLaughlin & Associates (R-Wofford)September 27–30, 2018600± 4.0% align=center44%33%4%20%
Siena CollegeSeptember 20–27, 2018701± 3.9% align=center50%36%1%[33] 14%

Results

Letitia James (D) went on to easily win the election, with 62% of the vote versus Wofford's (R) 35%.[34] James became the first woman and the first African-American to be elected New York Attorney General.[35]

By congressional district

James won 23 of 27 congressional districts, including three that elected Republicans, with the remaining 4 going to Wofford, including one that elected a Democrat.[36]

DistrictJamesWoffordRepresentative
49.1%49.0%Lee Zeldin
50%48%Peter T. King
56%42%Thomas Suozzi
57%41%Kathleen Rice
89%10%Gregory Meeks
69%28%Grace Meng
89%8%Nydia Velázquez
89%10%Hakeem Jeffries
88%10%Yvette Clarke
81%17%Jerry Nadler
52%46%Max Rose
83%14%Carolyn Maloney
94%5%Adriano Espaillat
82%16%Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
95%4%Jose E. Serrano
77%21%Eliot Engel
63%34%Nita Lowey
52%45%Sean Patrick Maloney
49%47%Antonio Delgado
56%41%Paul Tonko
43%54%Elise Stefanik
44%53%Anthony Brindisi
42%54%Tom Reed
51%46%John Katko
56%41%Joe Morelle
58%39%Brian Higgins
36%61%Chris Collins

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. News: Four Women Accuse New York's Attorney General of Physical Abuse . Mayer . Jane . Farrow . Ronan . New Yorker . May 7, 2018.
  2. Web site: Statement By Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman New York State Attorney General. ag.ny.gov. May 8, 2018. en. May 7, 2018. May 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180508020031/https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/statement-attorney-general-eric-t-schneiderman. dead.
  3. News: Eric Schneiderman, New York attorney general, quits amid assault reports. BBC News. 8 May 2018.
  4. News: Schneiderman Will Not Face Criminal Charges in Abuse Complaints. The New York Times. 8 November 2018. Feuer. Alan.
  5. Web site: Lawmakers Select Underwood as Interim Attorney General.
  6. Web site: Acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood to remain in office until year's end. Kenneth. Lovett. Glenn. Blain. New York Daily News. May 22, 2018.
  7. Web site: Underwood to Become New York Solicitor General After James' Election. Erik. Larson. Bloomberg. November 8, 2018. November 8, 2018.
  8. Web site: Reports . July 18, 2018 . July 12, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180712215340/http://www.elections.ny.gov:8080/reports/rwservlet?cmdkey=whofiled . dead .
  9. Web site: Gormley. Michael. Ferrette. Candice. 8 possible candidates to replace Schneiderman as attorney general. Newsday.com. May 9, 2018. May 12, 2018. May 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180512181931/https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/schneiderman-resign-attorney-general-candidates-1.18455732. dead.
  10. Web site: New York City Breaking News, Today's News | WCBS NewsRadio 880. www.audacy.com. 19 March 2023.
  11. Web site: Campbell. Jon. Here's who could replace Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. DemocratandChronicle.com. May 9, 2018. May 12, 2018.
  12. News: New York Times . Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney to Enter N.Y. Attorney General Race . June 6, 2018 .
  13. Teachout . Zephyr . ZephyrTeachout . 993899730039115778 . 8 May 2018 . I am seriously considering running for Attorney General. . 8 May 2018 .
  14. Web site: Zephyr Teachout takes step to run for NY attorney general; Rep. Maloney drops bid for appointment. 8 February 2014. 22 May 2018.
  15. Web site: Zephyr Teachout Is Running for Attorney General of New York. 23 May 2018. 23 May 2018.
  16. Web site: Eric Schneiderman for Attorney General. Official campaign site of the incumbent Democratic candidate in 2018 for New York's Attorney General.. 24 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180308100016/https://ericschneiderman.com/. 8 March 2018. dead.
  17. Web site: Kathleen Rice Passes on Running for New York Attorney General. Eric. Garcia. 15 May 2018. 22 May 2018. www.rollcall.com.
  18. Web site: Columbia Law professor who coined 'net neutrality' term mulling run for attorney general – NY Daily News. Kenneth. Lovett. New York Daily News. 22 May 2018.
  19. Web site: Kenneth. Lovett. GOP has yet to nail down picks for AG, controller as convention looms. New York Daily News. May 21, 2018. May 21, 2018.
  20. Web site: Precious. Tom. GOP delegates choose Buffalo native Keith Wofford as state attorney general candidate. May 24, 2018. Buffalo News. May 29, 2018.
  21. News: Gayou . Gerrard . A Republican Tries to Beat the Odds in New York . 26 October 2018 . Wall Street Journal . 27 October 2017.
  22. News: GOP Looks for New AG Candidates. State of Politics. Whalen. Ryan. May 10, 2018. May 12, 2018. May 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180512181828/http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2018/05/gop-looks-for-new-ag-candidates/. dead.
  23. News: Congressman Katko not running for A.G., wants to focus on CNY. cnycentral.com. April 25, 2017.
  24. Web site: New York Working Families Party 2018 Endorsements. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028203653/http://workingfamilies.org/states/new-york/?sec=endorsements. October 28, 2018. Working Families Party.
  25. Web site: May 19, 2018. WFP Gives Seal of Approval to Both Tish James and Zephyr Teachout for Attorney General. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180528082242/http://workingfamilies.org/2018/05/wfp-tish-james-zephyr-teachout/. May 28, 2018. Working Families Party.
  26. Web site: WFP nominates placeholder for AG, blames Cuomo for James snub. Politico. 22 May 2018.
  27. Web site: Archived copy . 2018-10-16 . 2018-10-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181008172259/http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/Elections/2018/General/2018AmendedStateGeneralCertification.pdf . dead .
  28. Web site: Independence Party picks Vincent Messina for attorney general. Newsday. 19 March 2023.
  29. Web site: Long Island attorney gets Independence nod for AG. 17 May 2018.
  30. Web site: Bharara says he won't seek state AG job.
  31. Web site: NY Bd of Elections May 26, 2018 . May 27, 2018 . May 12, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120512042212/http://www.elections.ny.gov:8080/reports/rwservlet?cmdkey=whofiled . dead .
  32. 2018 Libertarian Candidate for Attorney General, Nominated for AG by the 2018 NY Libertarian Convention https://lpnewyork.org/candidates/ ; 2006 Libertarian candidate for Attorney General of New York (see New York gubernatorial election, 2006); 1998 Libertarian candidate for Governor of New York (see New York gubernatorial elections); Libertarian candidate for District Attorney, Suffolk, 2009, 2013, 2017 http://apps.suffolkcountyny.gov/boe/eleres/17ge/suffoff.htm#3 ; 2015 Conservative Candidate for Justice of the Supreme Court 12th Judicial District http://vote.nyc.ny.us/downloads/pdf/election_results/2015/20151103General%20Election/00201400012Bronx%20Justice%20of%20the%20Supreme%20Court%2012th%20Judicial%20District%20Recap.pdf Bd of Elections 2015, http://vote.nyc.ny.us/downloads/pdf/results/2003/general/g2003recaps.pdf 2003, http://vote.nyc.ny.us/downloads/pdf/results/2002/general/g2002generalrecapsall.pdf 2002, http://vote.nyc.ny.us/downloads/pdf/results/2001/generalelection/general2001.pdf 2001, http://vote.nyc.ny.us/downloads/pdf/results/2000/generalelection/allg2000.pdf 2000.
  33. "Won't vote with 1%"
  34. Web site: NYS Board of Elections Unofficial Election Night Results . 2018-11-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181120174014/https://nyenr.elections.ny.gov/ . 2018-11-20 . dead .
  35. Web site: NYS Attorney General Letitia James Delivers Historic Inaugural Speech. January 2019.
  36. Web site: DRA 2020. Daves Redistricting. August 18, 2024.

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