Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney is voted the Republican nominee for the 22nd Congressional District. The victory comes after several months of campaigning against two other candidates. Melissa Krull has reaction from all three candidates about the big night.
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Assemblywomen Claudia Tenney, businessman Steven Wells, and history teacher George Phillips all hoping to earn the Republican nomination, and represent the 22nd Congressional District.
In the end, it was Tenney who got the majority of the votes, but it was a victory several months in the making, and it wasn't always pretty.
"I know this has been a tough presidential year, but this campaign was really brutal on a lot of voters,” Tenney said.
"Never having run before, never being involved in politics, and running before, you know obviously it's a different experience,” said 22nd Congressional District candidate Steven Wells.
All three say the support they've received throughout the campaigns has been encouraging.
"It was incredible to walk into my voting precinct today and have people shaking my hand, and saying 'good luck', and people I didn't even recognize,” said 22nd Congressional District candidate George Phillips.
"It's just been energizing. There's days when you want to quit, but that's why you have people out there supporting us,” Tenney said.
Now that she's the Republican nominee, Tenney hopes to win the seat so she can help move the 22nd Congressional District forward.
"I never look at anything like a win and a loss. I'm always looking at it as it's a mission. We're trying to do something right for our country, for our community. I just got out there and thought things aren't right. We need to have someone stand up and do it,” she said.
And now Tenney is another step closer to her goal.