Morelle, Meeks Cruise to Primary Victories as Rochester-Area Voters Head Toward November

Incumbents dominated primary election night across the Rochester region Tuesday, with U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle and State Assemblymember Demond Meeks both securing decisive Democratic primary victories as they prepare for November's general election.

Joe Morelle, Demond Meeks

In the race for the 137th Assembly District, which includes portions of Rochester and the Town of Gates, incumbent Assemblymember Demond Meeks easily defeated challenger Mercedes Vazquez Simmons.

According to unofficial results, Meeks received 81.1% of the vote compared with 18.5% for Vazquez Simmons, with approximately 74% of the estimated vote counted Tuesday night.

The victory positions Meeks to seek another term in Albany this fall. He is expected to face Republican candidate Dave Ferris, a business owner, in the general election.

The race had attracted attention as Vazquez Simmons attempted to unseat a well-established incumbent who has represented the district since 2020. However, the results showed Democratic voters overwhelmingly backing Meeks' bid for reelection.

In New York's 25th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle secured the Democratic nomination for another term in Congress, defeating challengers Sherita Traywick and Robin Wilt.

The district encompasses all of Monroe County and portions of northwestern Ontario County, including the Town of Victor.

Morelle's victory was widely expected, but the primary featured challenges from Traywick, a former Greece school board member, and Wilt, a progressive community organizer who sought to present voters with an alternative vision for the district's representation in Washington.

Meanwhile, voters in New York's 24th Congressional District selected Alissa Ellman as the Democratic nominee for Congress. Ellman, a U.S. Army veteran and former federal employee, defeated Diana Kastenbaum.

The 24th District stretches along the southern shore of Lake Ontario from the Thousand Islands region westward to Niagara County, excluding the greater Rochester area.

Kastenbaum had previously sought the Democratic nomination for the seat but was unsuccessful in her second attempt.

With Tuesday's primaries largely settled, attention now turns to the November general election, when voters across the Rochester region and western New York will decide congressional, state legislative and local races that will shape political representation over the next two years.