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Not-So-Private Ryan

Congressman Pat Ryan, a Democrat from the deep purple heart of New York’s Hudson Valley, thinks his party has a lot of work to do despite its off-year election win. Herewith, he makes the case for a broad Democratic coalition, praises the pugnacity of A.O.C., and explains why Trump isn’t a lame duck—yet.

Pat Ryan
"Democrats need to keep it in the context that the number one, two, and three issues for people are housing, food, and healthcare costs. But [the Epstein files] get to the heart of a fundamental breach of trust. I hear from Trump voters in my district that they are very personally twisted in knots about this. And I think that’s an important point for us to keep driving the issue," says congressman Pat Ryan. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
John Heilemann
November 17, 2025

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During the 364 rotations of the Earth between Election Day 2024 and Election Day 2025—as Democrats desperately sought cures to the ailments that led to their systematic drubbing by Donald Trump and his MAGA-fied G.O.P.—few of the party’s elected representatives found themselves on the receiving end of more beseeching phone calls than second-term New York congressman Pat Ryan.