Two-term Congressman Chris Gibson appears to have his toughest challenge yet in a 27 year old named Sean Eldridge. Gibson won twice under difficult circumstances in 2010 and 2012. In 2010 he was filling a void left by the Democratic incumbent Scott Murphy. In 2012 his district was radically altered-- leaving him in NY-19, which voted Democratic on the presidential level.

Now Gibson is facing Sean Eldridge, a multi-millionaire married to a co-founder of Facebook. Mr. Eldridge is running his first campaign and recently moved into the district-- which includes Schoharie County and parts of the Hudson Valley and Catskills. Eldridge sees himself as a contender-- as does Gibson's campaign. Still, the two differ greatly on the issue of experience.

Mr. Gibson is an Army Colonel and professor at West Point. He is a decorated combat veteran of three conflicts and now has three years in Congress under his belt. He won NY-19 53-47% in 2012.

Sean Eldridge believes that he has the experience to carry the district and be an effective member of Congress. Profiled in July by the New York Times he shows confidence: 

In an interview, he dismissed any suggestion that his move to the 19th District was motivated by politics. “The Hudson Valley is my home,” he said. “It’s where I work. It’s where I got married.”

However, this is not translating into immediate backing in the area. Mr. Eldridge is running in the difficult 2014 cycle that is likely to depress Democratic Party turnout. His New York City financial planning background may not lend itself to this largely rural, economically depressed district.

While this background may be a bit alien to the residents of the 19th District, Mr. Eldridge has little of the resume of the incumbent. Three years in the House and military experience seem to outweigh no direct involvement in the area that Mr. Eldridge lives today.