US Chamber of Commerce Continues to Defy Tradition, Endorses Delgado

RHINEBECK, N.Y. – The United States Chamber of Commerce continues its recent trend of defying tradition by announcing its endorsement of Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-N.Y., in his first reelection campaign.

The chamber is the largest business federation in the world and represents more than three million diverse businesses and organizations. Delgado is slated to face Republican Kyle Van De Water in November’s general election to represent New York’s 19th Congressional District.

Delgado, who has represented the district since Jan. 2019, was recognized by the chamber earlier this year, receiving the organization’s Spirit of Enterprise Award and newly established Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship. The chamber routinely endorses legislators who demonstrate support for policies that stimulate job growth, foster economic growth and aid fiscal responsibility.

“In challenging times, we are reminded of the importance of having leaders who understand the genius of the American system of government and free enterprise and who are willing to tackle the hard problems that confront our nation,” Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue said in a statement. “Rep. Antonio Delgado’s continued leadership in Congress will benefit the nation as we combat the coronavirus, work to restore economic growth, and expand opportunities for all Americans.”

Delgado, 43, serves on the U.S. House of Representatives Committees on Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business. He is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and Expand Social Security Caucus.

For decades, the Chamber of Commerce has endorsed mostly conservative candidates in elections. However, TWN previously reported the chamber intends to endorse an unprecedented number of freshmen House Democrats for reelection this cycle.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our rural communities and upstate economies,” Delgado said in a statement. “To build a better future for our region, we must continue to invest in our small businesses and make sure they have the resources they need to rebuild from this global health crisis.”

“Every day, I’m working to hear from business owners across all 11 counties to understand their needs and advocate for their recovery at the federal level,” Delgado’s statement continued. “I’m proud to be endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and I’ll keep fighting for every small business and working to create economic opportunity for every person in NY-19.”