NEW YORK (1010 WINS)-- Rep. Carolyn Maloney called out opponent Rep. Jerry Nadler for using his religious faith as a "divisive tactic" in the primary race, in a New York Times article published on Wednesday.
Maloney, who is Presbyterian, accused Nadler, who is Jewish, of using his religious identity as a method to appeal to more voters in the race.
She has said that the race -- in the new 12th District, one of the most Jewish-populated in the country -- should be focused on the issues that affect voters rather than what faith Nadler is. The map now includes parts of Nadler's current 10th District.
"It's a strange way to run, it's sort of like, 'Vote for me, I'm the only woman, or I'm the only white person, I'm the only Black person,'" Maloney told the Times. "Why don't you put forward your statement, your issues, what you've done and the merit you bring to the race?"
If Nadler were to lose, there would be no Jewish member of Congress representing the U.S. city with the largest Jewish population.
The pair are now facing head to head in the primary race for the 12th Congressional District for which a new map was redrawn by a court-appointed special master.
