Voters in New York’s 11th Congressional District could be forgiven for thinking Rep. Max Rose is seeking reelection against New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a fellow Democrat.

Rose is actually running in the Staten Island and southern Brooklyn-based district against Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis. But in the city’s most conservative enclave, Rose, elected to the House in 2018, is trying to distance himself from far-left figures such as Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. That’s made de Blasio an easier foil amid the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing shutdown of businesses and schools in New York City.