Two Mohawk Valley cities, 17 miles from each other, are finding themselves in different Congressional Districts. State lawmakers last week approved redistricting Congressional maps that split Oneida County in half.
Utica and Rome have shared the same representative in Congress for several decades, whether it was the 22nd, 23rd or 24th district, but that changes with newly approved congressional maps. Rome, in the northern portion of Oneida County, is pushed into Republican incumbent Elise Stefanik’s 21st Congressional District. Utica, to the south, continues to be part of the 22nd Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Brandon Williams. Rome Mayor Jeffery Lanigan, elected for the first time last November, was looking forward to working with Utica’s freshman mayor, Michael Galime.
"Me and the new Utica Mayor have a great relationship and we were so looking forward to moving the region forward together," Lanigan said. "Now, not that this kind of hinders it, but it does kind of, now we're in two different districts and it makes it a little bit more difficult."
Before lawmakers voted on the final map, Oneida County Democrats criticized the configuration, arguing these two cities form a clear community interest in Oneida County. The county is part of the burgeoning tech landscape settling in upstate New York. Lanigan said ultimately, he expects to continue to push Rome’s interests forward in Washington, regardless of the district number or who is representing the area.
"On a local level, it is what it is, wherever they want to put us, whatever number they want to give us," Lanigan said. "That is what it is, but we're just looking to have a great working relationship with whoever's there."
