EARLY VOTING BEGINS this Saturday, October 29 but we’re not likely to to know reliable results at least until the polls close Election Day, Tuesday, November 8. And even that may be an optimistic estimate of who has won a local race that Politco defined as a national “toss-up” and Ballotpedia says is a “Battleground” contest.
It’s the two-person race for the recently redrawn seat in Congress from the 19th District of New York. The two candidates have deep roots and strong credentials: Democrat Josh Riley and Republican Marc Molinaro. Each candidate has a second line on the ballot; for Mr. Riley it’s Working Families; for Mr. Molinaro it’s Conservative.
Mr. Riley is from Endicott on the Southern Tier of New York. The 19th is a big district.
Mr. Molinaro was at a young age the mayor of the Village of Tivoli, which borders on southern Columbia County. He later served in the state Assembly and then moved on to become the county legislator and then executive of Dutchess County. During his time in the Assembly he became known locally for his support of some environmental programs. He was the Republican candidate for governor in 2018.
Josh Riley received his law degree from Harvard, where he was recognized for his public service. It was an indication of where his interests would lead him, which included work as an assistant to Representative Maurice Hinchey and working on healthcare access. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, he went there and worked assisting people in Louisiana with legal issues resulting from the storm. Mr. Riley served for a year as a law clerk to a federal Appeals Court Justice in California and later as General Counsel to Sen. Al Franken on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He now practices law in the district.
His knowledge of the law is deep and wide. He knows how government works and how important its services can be for those who have the greatest need.
You don’t have to dismiss Mr. Molinaro’s career in public service to believe that Josh Riley is the better choice to represent Columbia County for the next two years. People who call themselves Republicans but practice the cult of Trump could be poised to take over Congress. I don’t want to help them achieve that goal. More importantly, I’m relieved and impressed that someone with the credentials and the skills of Josh Riley is prepared to represent us in the House of Representatives. I urge you to vote for Josh Riley as the Representative from the 19th Congressional District of New York.
