New York's 11th Congressional District elections, 2014

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Michael Grimm Incumbent	54.8%	58,886
	Democratic	Domenic Recchia	42.1%	45,244
	Green	Henry Bardel	2.5%	2,687
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.5%	546
Total Votes				107,363
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

2016 → ← 2012

New York's 11th Congressional District

General Election Date November 4, 2014

Primary Date June 24, 2014

November 4 Election Winner: Michael Grimm

Incumbent prior to election: Michael Grimm

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Lean D FairVote's Monopoly Politics: Lean R Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean D

New York U.S. House Elections District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27

2014 U.S. Senate Elections

2014 U.S. House Elections

The 11th Congressional District of New York held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Rep. Michael Grimm (R) defeated Domenic Recchia (D) and Henry Bardel (Green) in the general election.

New York's 11th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014, with The Cook Political Report labeling it a "Toss Up" and FairVote rating it as "Lean R." Grimm won in 2012 with a 5 percent margin of victory. The district voted Democratic in the 2012 presidential race, voting for President Barack Obama with a 4.3 percent margin of victory. Grimm was first elected to his seat in 2010.

Grimm faced an indictment during the course of the election. He was charged with 20 crimes involving his restaurant, Healthalicious, including allegations of tax fraud and hiring individuals residing in the United States without legal permission. He was also under investigation for possible campaign finance law violations. Grimm won re-election, and resigned from his seat on January 5, 2015, after pleading guilty to felony tax evasion.

Candidate Filing Deadline	Primary Election	General Election
April 14, 2014	June 24, 2014	November 4, 2014

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New York utilizes a closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is limited to registered party members.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Voter registration: To vote in the federal primary, voters had to register by May 30, 2014. To vote in the state primary, voters had to register by August 15, 2014.

See also: New York elections, 2014

Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Michael Grimm (R), who was first elected in 2010.

As of the 2010 redistricting cycle, New York's 11th Congressional District was located in the southeastern portion of the state and included parts of Kings County and Richmond County.

Candidates

General election candidates

• Michael Grimm - Incumbenta
• Domenic Recchia
• Henry Bardel

June 24, 2014, primary results

Republican Primary

• Michael Grimm - Incumbenta

Conservative Primary

• Michael Grimm - Incumbenta

Independence Primary

• Michael Grimm - Incumbenta

Democratic Primary

• Domenic Recchia - Brooklyn City Councilmana

Working Families Primary

• Domenic Recchia - Brooklyn City Councilmana

Green Primary

• Henry Bardela

Disqualified

• Erick Salgado

Election results

General election

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Michael Grimm Incumbent	54.8%	58,886
	Democratic	Domenic Recchia	42.1%	45,244
	Green	Henry Bardel	2.5%	2,687
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.5%	546
Total Votes				107,363
Source: New York State Board of Elections, NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns November 4, 2014," accessed August 30, 2021

Race background

Democratic Super PAC House Majority PAC listed incumbent Michael Grimm as one of 10 they were targeting as vulnerable incumbent Republicans in 2014, with the focus on those holding competitive seats.

In the news

Grimm's indictment

On April 28, 2014, Michael Grimm surrendered to the FBI, facing federal charges of tax fraud related to his restaurant, Healthalicious. Attorney Loretta Lynch was named to oversee the indictment. Grimm was charged with 20 crimes, including under-reporting income in order to avoid paying taxes, "conspiracy, obstruction, mail fraud, perjury and the unlawful employment of [individuals residing in the United States without legal permission]." Healthalicious was also charged $88,000 in January 2012 for allegedly not providing employees with workers' compensation insurance. According to media accounts, the Grimm company running Healthalicious was affiliated with Israeli fundraiser Ofer Biton, who communicated with Grimm on behalf of Israeli rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto. Pinto, who was worth close to $21 million, had followers who contributed to Grimm's 2010 campaign. Some of Pinto's followers admitted to illegally contributing tens of thousands of dollars to Grimm's campaign. Although campaign finance violations were not part of the indictment, Lynch said that the investigation was ongoing.

Throughout much of the case, Grimm's attorney, William McGinley, maintained that Grimm was innocent. McGinley stated, "the government has pursued a politically driven vendetta against Congressman Grimm" and "when the dust settles, he will be vindicated." Grimm ran unopposed in the Republican primary for New York's 11th Congressional District. Despite calls for his resignation, Grimm repeatedly said that he would not resign, and that he would continue campaigning for re-election.

Diana Durand guilty plea

Diana Durand, a former girlfriend of Grimm, was arraigned on May 5, 2014, for violating campaign finance law in order to reimburse straw donors to Grimm's campaign. Her lawyer maintained that she did not know her actions were illegal. On September 3, 2014, Durand pleaded guilty to illegally contributing campaign money to Grimm and one other congressman via straw donors. This was one of the three counts for which she was indicted. Her plea implied that she had acted alone and did not incriminate Grimm. Durand's attorneys requested that Durand serve probation rather than a jail sentence.

The trial

On September 2, 2014, Grimm appeared in New York's Eastern District Court, where U.S. District Judge Pamela Ki Mai Chen ruled that Grimm's trial would begin on December 1, 2014. Grimm's attorney's argued that the trial should be pushed back. Attorney Jeffrey Neiman stated, "We’re obviously in the heart of an election cycle right now. The Democratic party recently put new ads, or are going to begin to air, featuring the U.S. Attorney and snippets of her press conference, which will be airing in, on television here, where our jury pool will be seated... We’re concerned about ensuring Mr. Grimm has a fair trial, and if the jury sees these repeated ads, we’re concerned that there may be prejudice.” Judge Chen did not agree to push the trial back, saying, "I don’t think given the nature of the publicity up til now and depending on what happens with the election that were [sic] necessarily going to get much of a break if I delay it by a month."

On October 21, the beginning of the trial was pushed back from December 1, 2014, to February 2, 2015.

Guilty plea

In a hearing on December 23, 2014, Grimm pleaded guilty to tax evasion, one of the 20 counts of which he had been accused. He was sentenced on June 8, 2015. Grimm had previously said that he would resign if found guilty, stating, "Certainly, if I was not able to serve then of course I would step aside and there would be a special election." At a press conference following his guilty plea, Grimm said that he would not step down from office. He said, "It happened before I was in Congress, and for the past four years I’ve been a strong, effective member of Congress." House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that he wanted to talk with Grimm before publicly discussing any plans of action. In 2010, Boehner said he would uphold a "zero tolerance" policy for ethics violations in the Republican caucus.

Resignation

After meeting with Boehner on December 29, 2014, Grimm announced that he would resign from Congress on January 5, 2015. Grimm said, "I do not believe that I can continue to be 100% effective in the next Congress, and therefore, out of respect for the Office and the people I so proudly represent, it is time for me to start the next chapter of my life." The next day, Boehner said, "Rep. Grimm made the honorable decision to step down from his seat in Congress."

The state Constitution allowed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to set a date for a special election to replace Grimm in the U.S. House. The election needed to be held 70 to 80 days after Cuomo announced the vacancy. Candidates were planned to be chosen by party conventions rather than in a primary election.

Loss of Grimm's campaign manager

Bill Cortese, Grimm's campaign manager and the only employee working full-time on his campaign, quit after Grimm's indictment. Grimm's advisor, Guy Molinari, said that they were not concerned about the campaign, stating , "Bill opted to follow a different course. In every campaign, you have changes that take place."

Endorsements

Domenic Recchia

Domenic Recchia received the following endorsements:

• The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
• The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 1500

Michael Grimm

Michael Grimm received the following endorsements:

• The New York Independence Party
• The Humane Society Legislative Fund

Issues

See also: Energy and the 2014 election: the ballots and beyond

Campaign themes

Michael Grimm

Michael Grimm listed his positions on various issues on his campaign website. The following were excerpts from Grimm's website:

“	Jobs & the Economy: "It is clear from the slow growth of our economy, the tax and spend policies put forth by President Obama have failed. From the healthcare law to unachievable EPA standards, the onslaught of job-killing regulations coming out of the Obama Administration are hurting the small businesses of Staten Island and Brooklyn and keeping them from growing and creating jobs." Transportation: "As residents of New York City, we rely heavily on public transportation, but it seems that too often we get the short end of the stick when it comes to services. Staten Island remains the only borough without a free road in and out, our public transportation options are limited, and our roads remain congested as residents face some of the longest commute times in the country. That is why I have made improving public transportation and reducing the costs a top priority." Energy and Environment: "Between tax increases and toll hikes, rising gas and energy prices add insult to injury and put further strain on our ever-tightening budgets. In order to lower energy costs, I support an all-of-the-above approach to energy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil; generates American jobs by tapping into resources here at home; and provides incentives to create clean, renewable, and efficient energy options." U.S. Foreign Policy: "We are at a crucial time when it comes to U.S. foreign policy. There are no easy answers, but it is clear that our foreign policy and national defense must be stronger and more strategic. Since 9/11, the threat of terrorism here and abroad remains high, and our relationships with key allies are more important than ever before." National Security and Defense: "When I was 19, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps and learned from an early age the importance of defending our great nation abroad. As an FBI agent, I learned to defend it at home. New York City remains the #1 terrorist target in the nation, which is why I will not cave when it comes to supporting a strong national defense policy."	”
—Michael Grimm, Campaign website (archive)

Henry Bardel

Henry Bardel's campaign website listed the five laws that would have been his top priorities if elected:

“	I will immediately sponsor a law to bring home our troops from Afghanistan and stop all drone attacks that are antagonizing people all over the world against the United States. I will sponsor laws that will subsidize research on how we can make green energy cheaper and more productive. Green energy like wind, solar, geothermal, biomass power, hydro power, hydrogen power and ocean energy so that we can stop global warming with green house gases caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas. I will immediately sponsor a Single Payer Health Care Law that will cover all Americans from cradle to grave. It will function like Medicare and will be basically Medicare for all. I will sponsor a bill that will recreate Revenue Sharing. Revenue Sharing is where the Federal Government gives money to the State and local governments to help pay for State and local services like Education, to hire teachers, Police and Fire protection. Revenue Sharing will reduce real estate taxes. I will also sponsor a Federal Law that will pay off all student loans. I will sponsor laws that will create a jobs program like the WPA which we had in the 1930’s. I will also create a stimulus package that will rebuild and repair our crumbling infrastructure. For instance the law will provide money for road repair, bridge repair, the building of schools, government buildings and parks.	”
—Henry Bardel, Campaign website (archive)

Key votes

Government affairs

HR 676

See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration

On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Grimm joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.

Polls

General election polls

General election candidates
Poll	Michael Grimm (R)	Domenic Recchia (D)	Henry Bardel (G)	Undecided	Margin of Error	Sample Size
Siena College Research Institute October 26-28, 2014	53%	34%	5%	8%	+/-3.7	713
Siena College Research Institute September 9-14, 2014	44%	40%	4%	12%	+/-4.0	585
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Michael Grimm vs. Domenic Recchia
Poll	Michael Grimm (R)	Domenic Recchia (D)	Undecided	Margin of Error	Sample Size
GBA Strategies September 2014	46%	46%	8%	+/-4.9	400
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Campaign contributions

Michael Grimm

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Grimm’s reports.

Michael Grimm (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 17, 2013	$88,588.38	$320,859.67	$(107,495.43)	$301,952.62
July Quarterly	July 15, 2013	$301,952.62	$439,298.44	$(164,517.83)	$576,733.23
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$576,733.23	$350,719.06	$(99,740.58)	$827,711.71
Year-End Quarterly	December 31, 2013	$827,711	$327,726	$(122,412)	$1,032,532
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$1,032,532.38	$346,347.17	$(201,284.54)	$1,177,595.01
Pre-Primary	June 12, 2014	$1,177,595.01	$47,382.14	$(222,722.240)	$1,002,254.91
July Quarterly	July 15, 2014	$1,002,254.91	$23,430.00	$(13,104.07)	$1,012,580.84
October Quarterly	October 15, 2014	$1,012,580.84	$89,568.49	$(477,218.84)	$624,930.49
Pre-General	October 23, 2014	$624,930.49	$8,938.00	$(308,515.66)	$325,352.83
			Running totals
			$1,954,268.97	$(1,717,011.19)

Domenic Recchia

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Recchia's reports.

Domenic Recchia (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 15, 2013	$0.00	$412,036.00	$(4,742.54)	$407,293.46
July Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$407,293.46	$305,220.32	$(46,441.83)	$666,071.95
October Quarterly	January 30, 2014	$666,071.95	$300,564.44	$(66,337.04)	$900,299.35
Year-End	January 31, 2014	$900,299.35	$191,927.06	$(100,343.46)	$991,882.95
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$991,882.95	$206,412.82	$(132,352.80)	$1,065,942.97
			Running totals
			$1,416,160.64	$(350,217.67)

Erick Salgado

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Salgado's reports before he was disqualified from running in the primary.

Erick Salgado (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 14, 2014	$0.00	$3,000.00	$(0.00)	$3,000.00
			Running totals
			$3,000	$(0)

Media

Michael Grimm

• The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released an ad criticizing Michael Grimm for the tax fraud charges under investigation in his indictment.

DCCC ad attacking Michael Grimm

District history

Candidate ballot access
Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

2012

On November 6, 2012, Michael Grimm (R) won re-election to the United States House. He ran in the 11th District due to redistricting. He defeated Mark Murphy (D) in the general election.

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Mark Murphy	46.8%	92,430
	Republican	Michael Grimm Incumbent	52.2%	103,118
	Green	Henry Bardel	1%	1,939
	N/A	Write-in votes	0.1%	148
Total Votes				197,635
Source: New York State Board of Elections, "NYS Board of Elections Rep. in Congress Election Returns Nov. 6, 2012," accessed September 1, 2021

2010

On November 2, 2010, Yvette D. Clarke won re-election to the United States House. She defeated Hugh C. Carr (R) in the general election.

U.S. House, New York District 11 General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Yvette D. Clarke incumbent	90.5%	104,297
	Republican	Hugh C. Carr	9.4%	10,858
	N/A	Write-in votes	0%	44
Total Votes				115,199

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2014
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2014

External links

• New York State Board of Elections

Footnotes

[show]

New York's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

Chuck Schumer (D)

Representatives

District 1

Nicholas LaLota (R)

District 2

Andrew Garbarino (R)

District 3

Tom Suozzi (D)

District 4

Laura Gillen (D)

District 5

Gregory Meeks (D)

District 6

Grace Meng (D)

District 7

Nydia Velazquez (D)

District 8

Hakeem Jeffries (D)

District 9

Yvette Clarke (D)

District 10

Daniel Goldman (D)

District 11

Nicole Malliotakis (R)

District 12

Jerrold Nadler (D)

District 13

Adriano Espaillat (D)

District 14

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)

District 15

Ritchie Torres (D)

District 16

George Latimer (D)

District 17

Michael Lawler (R)

District 18

Pat Ryan (D)

District 19

Josh Riley (D)

District 20

Paul Tonko (D)

District 21

Elise Stefanik (R)

District 22

John Mannion (D)

District 23

Nick Langworthy (R)

District 24

Claudia Tenney (R)

District 25

Joseph Morelle (D)

District 26

Tim Kennedy (D)

Democratic Party (21)

Republican Party (7)