Coleman Lamb, a spokesman for Rice’s campaign, said in an email that voters have a choice between “an independent, pragmatic problem-solver who’s made our neighborhoods safer and who will fight for the middle class and for expanded access to the American Dream,” and “a Tea Party obstructionist who won't share his views on immigration reform, the minimum wage, how he would improve our healthcare system, or why he raised taxes.”

Matt Coleman, a spokesman for Blakeman’s campaign, said in a press release that Blakeman is running “to change Washington by pushing back against the Obama agenda while promoting opportunity, economic growth and the repeal of Obamacare … Kathleen Rice is running for Congress with the far-left Obama/Pelosi/Reid agenda.”

Michael Balboni, a business and government consultant, former Republican state senator and assemblyman, and former public safety official under Democratic Gov. David Paterson, said the 4th District’s diverse demographics and political views create opportunities and challenges for the candidates.

Blakeman should “be talking about Barack Obama, and the policies that aren’t making him very popular now,” Balboni said. “… Likewise, if I were Kathleen, I’d be talking about Tea Party … I think what they really have to do is find the fault lines that voters understand now, and continue to work them.”

Richard Himelfarb, a professor of political science at Hoftstra who teaches courses on American politics and Congress, took a less open-ended view of the race. He said he believes the 4th District has become reliably Democratic, and that midterm voter backlash against Obama will not affect Rice like incumbent congressional Democrats, because the DA’s office has little to do with national politics.

“I would say that in the absence of an inspired campaign by a Republican, especially against a Democrat who seems relatively savvy, who seems relatively disciplined as a candidate, who holds public office, who’s going to be better funded, it seems like it’s an uphill battle for a Republican to win,” Himelfarb said.