Republican chairmen in the 18^th Congressional District in the Hudson Valley backed Phil Oliva to take on Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney this November. Oliva is a top aide to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the party’s 2014 nominee for governor. The Oneida County Republican Committee endorsed Cazeonvia businessmanSteve Wells over Republican candidates Assemblymember Claudia Tenney and George Phillips to replace retiring Rep. Richard Hanna (R-Barneveld) in the 22^nd Congressional District. The state Republican Party also nominated judicial activist Wendy Long to run against Democratic U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer.