Election Day is soon approaching, and News 12 is placing the spotlight on the 18th Congressional District – a crucial battleground in the Hudson Valley that could impact the balance of power in the nation's capital.

Freshman Democrat and Iraqi War veteran Pat Ryan is defending his seat against NYPD veteran Alison Esposito.

Esposito launched her candidacy after running in a statewide race for lieutenant governor, alongside Lee Zeldin. They won the district but lost the overall race after staging a campaign that Republicans say set the stage for the crucial GOP House victories.

New York Democrats are now fighting hard to take back the suburbs and the House. To do that, they need Ryan to win re-election in a bellwether district that includes all of Orange County and most of Dutchess and Ulster counties, where topics like immigration and inflation weigh heavy.

Abortion rights is also another major platform plank.