Republican Nan Hayworth defeated Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in the Independence Party primary for Congressional District 18 Tuesday.

Congressional District 18 covers Orange and Putnam counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess.

Both Maloney and Hayworth have their own party's nominations.

Maloney also has the Working Families Party line, while Hayworth has the Conservative Party line. Neither Hayworth nor Maloney got the Independence Party's backing when they ran in 2012.

Republican Party officials were quick to claim that Hayworth's win shows her campaign is gaining momentum, while Maloney is downplaying the importance of the primary.

Maloney is a former White House aide to Bill Clinton, who campaigned for him in 2012. Hayworth is an ophthalmologist by profession, and she is banking on dissatisfaction with the Affordable Care Act to help her campaign.