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It's special election day in New York's 19th District, where voters will choose which local county executive — Democrat Pat Ryan or Republican Marc Molinaro — will serve out the term for the House seat vacated by former Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado, who left to become the state's lieutenant governor.
It's expected to be a tight race in an evenly divided district, and one some political experts are looking at for some clues ahead of November's midterm elections.
NBC News' Dasha Burns spoke with both candidates, who had very different takes on what is mobilizing voters to turn out Tuesday, particularly on the issue of abortion rights.
"I think the foundations of our democracy are at threat. We have fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right for a woman to have access to safe abortion, to have reproductive rights being ripped away — so much of this race has been about standing up and saying: That is not who we are as Americans," Ryan said.
His opponent tried to downplay the implications of the recent Supreme Court decision striking down Roe vs. Wade, arguing "in New York, access remains."
"The voters are concerned. Residents, families, farmers are concerned about the price of gas, the price of eggs, the price of groceries," Molinaro told Burns.
