VESTAL, NY (WSKG) – One of the Republicans running in New York’s 22nd Congressional District says congress is failing people in several areas.
This district includes Cortland, Chenango, most of Broome and part of Tioga Counties
George Phillips (right) stands with his wife, Diana (left), in Binghamton. He says both Democrat and Republican congresses in recent years haven’t done their jobs. (Gabe Altieri/WSKG)
Speaking in Binghamton on Wednesday, George Phillips pointed to health care, national security and welfare reform as issues where Democrats in Congress aren’t doing enough. He also said the Republicans who had control before 2018 didn’t do much better and that needs to change
“Politics is sound bites and hits back and forth,” Phillips said. “It’s a fight going on right now. I want to shine through as the ideas guy. I think I’ll do that in the debates. I think I’m doing that by laying out platforms.”
One of Phillips’ plans is to lower property taxes by preventing New York state from using those taxes to pay for federal programs like Medicaid.
He faces a crowded Republican primary that includes educator Franklin Sager, Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell and Former Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who just entered the race last week.
Tenney served in the district from 2016-2018 before losing her re-election campaign. Phillips said it shows a lot that Tenney lost a district with about 30-thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats.
“She lost this district and I think voters will remember that, that she really blew a big Republican district,” he said.
Phillips also faced her in the 2016 Republican primary, losing in a three-way race.
The winner will go up against freshman Democratic Congressman Anthony Brindisi next November.