The political landscape in Monroe County has shifted following the 2026 Democratic primary, where incumbent Rep. Joe Morelle emerged victorious. In his triumphant speech, Morelle emphasized the importance of unity within the Democratic Party, urging supporters to come together for the greater good.
“This is a time for Democrats to come together,” Morelle declared. “I would urge people who supported me and who didn’t. The stakes are too high. The need is too great.” He stressed the necessity of delivering a Democratic majority in both the House and Senate to counter what he described as the most corrupt presidency in American history.
The Path to Victory
Morelle’s victory was decisive, with unofficial results showing he garnered 62.3% of the ballots cast, defeating former Brighton town board member Robin Wilt. This marks Wilt’s third consecutive challenge to Morelle, having also run in 2018 and 2026. Despite her loss, Wilt took to social media to express her gratitude to supporters and critique the media’s role in the election.
“There were multiple media outlets doing election night coverage, but they were largely absent covering the details of the primary election as it unfolded over the last four months,” Wilt wrote. She argued that this lack of coverage contributed to voter apathy, stating, “This is journalistic malpractice and benefits the status quo. Voter apathy doesn’t happen in a vacuum.”
Wilt also expressed disappointment in the low voter turnout, noting that some parts of the district saw participation as low as 11%. However, the unofficial results indicate that the turnout was relatively in line with regional averages. With 201,731 eligible voters in Monroe County, 38,677 ballots were cast, resulting in a turnout of 19.2%. This figure is higher than the average turnout for Democratic primaries since 2002, which stands at 16.2%.
Geographical Breakdown of Voter Preferences
The election results revealed that Wilt’s support was concentrated in specific areas of Rochester. She won a greater vote share than Morelle in electoral districts covering Highland, South Wedge, Park Avenue, and North Winton neighborhoods. Additionally, some areas in East Rochester and the western parts of Brighton, Henrietta, and Irondequoit broke for Wilt. However, these were isolated spots in a sea of Morelle supporters, who dominated in the electoral districts within Ontario County.
Wilt’s 29.7% vote share in 2026 is slightly lower than the 31.8% she managed in 2026, when Congressional District 25 was smaller and did not include the towns of Hilton, Wheatland, Rush, or Mendon. The Democratic primary race in the 24th Congressional District also saw a clear winner, with Alissa Ellman securing nearly 59% of the ballots cast. Ellman will face Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney in the November general election.
Divided Support in the 130th District
The race for the state Assembly’s 130th District seat highlighted a divide between the town of Webster and Wayne County. Republican winner George Dobbins, backed by the Wayne County Republican committee, performed better in Wayne County (45.6% of the vote) compared to Webster (23.5%). Conversely, Monroe County Republicans’ designated candidate, Mark Johns, fared better in Webster (47.5%) than in Wayne County (18.5%). Summer Johnson, the third candidate in the race, received 34.4% of the vote in Wayne County and 27.8% in Webster.
For the Democrats, Carl Fitzsimmons and Joseph Lamanna presented a study in contrasts. Fitzsimmons received 53.6% in Webster and 42.9% in Wayne County, while Lamanna won 41.4% in Webster and 53.6% in Wayne County. Unofficial results currently show Fitzsimmons with a slim margin of 49 votes over Lamanna. The Democratic enrollment breakdown is fairly even, with 13,620 active enrolled Democrats in Wayne County and 10,868 in Webster.
