Democrat who campaigned on abortion rights wins in New York special election

Pat Ryan's victory may boost party's hopes that voters will support its opposition to Supreme Court ruling in midterm elections

A New York Democrat who campaigned on abortion rights and the future of US democracy has won a special congressional election in a swing district, a victory that Democrats hope could signal a fundamental shift in national voter sentiment ahead of the November midterm elections.

Democrat Pat Ryan defeated Republican Marc Molinaro 51.3% to 48.7%, with 99% of the vote counted, Edison Research said, after a hard-fought contest for an open seat in New York's 19th congressional District, which spans part of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains region and is known as a bellwether.