From the Hudson Valley to the Campaign Trail
Jacqueline "Jackie" Auringer is framing her political identity around her deep local roots. Born and raised in Kingston, New York, she presents herself as a product of the Hudson Valley community she now seeks to represent in Washington, D.C. After earning a marketing degree from the Lutgert College of Business, Auringer returned to the area to build her career. This narrative of returning home is central to her campaign, which emphasizes a commitment to the district's future. Before her congressional run, Auringer was involved in local civic efforts, including grassroots organizing and mental health advocacy, establishing a community presence long before her name appeared on a ballot.
A Career in the Family Business
Auringer's primary professional experience comes from her
role in her family's construction business, Urban Precast. She serves as a project manager and managerial accountant, a job she says has given her firsthand insight into the challenges facing small businesses in New York. Her campaign biography highlights this real-world experience as a key differentiator, arguing that it grounds her in the economic realities of the district. She often cites her time dealing with regulations, payroll, and project management as the foundation for her views on government overreach and economic policy, claiming that she knows "what government gets wrong" from a business owner's perspective.
The Core Campaign Pillars
Auringer is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines with a platform centered on three core themes: affordability, accountability, and opportunity. Her campaign materials consistently point to lowering the cost of living for Hudson Valley families by cutting taxes and what she terms "wasteful spending." She has criticized policies that she claims make New York harder to afford, particularly around energy costs. On accountability, Auringer advocates for greater government transparency and has called for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and their spouses. Her policy stances are consistently conservative, emphasizing support for law enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes.
A Contentious Race for NY-18
Auringer is challenging incumbent Democrat Pat Ryan in a race that has already turned contentious as of late September 2026. Recently, Auringer's campaign filed an ethics complaint alleging that Ryan's primary residence is in Washington, D.C., not his district, citing over $60,000 in lodging reimbursements. The complaint also referenced social media posts suggesting his children attend school in D.C. Ryan's campaign vehemently denied the claims, calling them a "bogus" attack from a desperate campaign and stating his primary residence has been in Gardiner, New York, for over a decade. Ryan's campaign, in turn, has highlighted an old social media account belonging to Auringer with playlists they characterized as problematic, and has also claimed she has been living in Florida. This heated back-and-forth suggests the race for New York's 18th district will be one of the more closely watched and hard-fought contests of the election cycle.
