Joseph Morelle

Rochester Beacon (https://rochesterbeacon.com/2026/03/12/a-race-shaped-by-the-moment/)

Two Democratic candidates for New York’s 25th Congressional District agree that the 2026 election cycle is particularly important for the nation’s future.

“Every election matters, but the stakes in 2026 are especially high because the very foundations of our democracy are being tested. And when democracy is under strain, Congress has a responsibility to act,” says Rep. Joe Morelle, the incumbent since 2018.

“This administration has repeatedly undermined our democracy,” he adds. “The only meaningful constitutional check on that kind of overreach is a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. At its core, this election is about whether our government works for the American people or for those who seek to abuse power for personal gain.”

Robin Wilt, a former Brighton town board member who will challenge Morelle in the June Democratic primary, says, “the time we are in is particularly fraught.”