Representative in Congress District 18 in Statewide, New York

2026 Primary Election

• Jackie Auringer — Candidate for Representative in Congress in New York

  Jackie Mary Auringer is a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives representing New York's 18th Congressional District in the 2026 election. She entered the race after the previous presumptive Republican nominee, Sharanjit Thind, failed to submit the required ballot signatures and withdrew. Prior to her political candidacy, Auringer was a contestant in the Miss Florida Teen USA pageant in 2020.

• Sharanjit Thind — Editor-Publisher, The South Asian Insider in Long Island, NY

  Sharanjit Singh Thind is a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 18th Congressional District. An entrepreneur and media professional, he serves as the editor-publisher of The South Asian Insider. Thind previously served as a Commissioner on the Nassau County Human Rights Commission until 2018. His campaign platform emphasizes job creation, economic resilience, preparing the workforce for AI integration, and protecting senior citizens from financial scams.

• Patrick Ryan — Incumbent Representative in Congress in Gardiner, NY

  Patrick Kevin Ryan is the incumbent U.S. Representative for New York's 18th Congressional District, having assumed office in 2023. A Kingston native, Ryan graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served as an Army intelligence officer, completing two combat tours in Iraq. After his military service, he co-founded a technology company. Before his election to Congress, Ryan served as the Ulster County Executive from 2019 to 2022. He serves on the Armed Services Committee.