Pat Ryan
Pat Ryan, a Democrat and former Ulster County Executive who has represented New York's 18th congressional district since 2023, faces Republican businesswoman Jacqueline Auringer in his 2026 re-election race.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
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- Born
- March 28, 1982
- Birthplace
- Kingston, New York
- Education
- Kingston High School (2000)
United States Military Academy (Bachelor of Science in international politics, 2004)
Georgetown University (Master of Arts in security studies)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Pat Ryan was born on March 28, 1982, and raised in Kingston, New York, where his mother was a public school teacher and his father owned a small business.
He graduated from Kingston High School in 2000, earned a Bachelor of Science in international politics from the United States Military Academy in 2004, and later received a Master of Arts in security studies from Georgetown University.
From 2004 to 2009 he served as a U.S. Army military intelligence officer, completing two combat tours in Iraq, attaining the rank of captain and receiving two Bronze Star Medals.
Career
After his military service, Ryan worked from 2009 to 2011 as deputy director of Berico Technologies in Afghanistan, co-founded the software company Praescient Analytics in 2011, and was a senior vice president of Dataminr from 2015 to 2017.
He won an April 30, 2019, special election for Ulster County Executive, took office on June 7, 2019, and won a full four-year term that November; as county executive he piloted a universal basic income program for 100 families.
After Antonio Delgado resigned from Congress in May 2022, Ryan won the August 23 special election in New York's 19th congressional district over Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, 51.1% to 48.8%, and was sworn in on September 13, 2022.
That November he won the redrawn 18th district, defeating Republican Colin Schmitt. He serves on the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
2026 race
Pat Ryan is seeking re-election in New York's 18th congressional district, which covers the mid-Hudson Valley, including all of Orange County and most of Dutchess and Ulster counties.
He was re-elected with 57.2% of the vote in 2024 and is the Democratic nominee again in 2026, also appearing on the Working Families Party line.
His Republican opponent is businesswoman Jacqueline Auringer, who also holds the Conservative Party line; the Republican field had also included former Nassau County human rights commissioner Sharanjit Thind, who withdrew. The general election takes place on November 3, 2026.