Candidate Profile: Republican Marc Molinaro For NY CD 19

RED HOOK, NY — In 2022's general election, residents of the Hudson Valley will be voting for state and local officials.

In anticipation, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles before election day Nov. 8.

The newly drawn Congressional District 19 covers 11 counties in part or whole: Broome, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins and Ulster.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro of Red Hook is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines in the November general election to represent District 19 in Congress. Josh Riley is running on the Democratic Party line against him.

Molinaro, 47, is married with four children. He is a graduate of Dutchess Community College.

He was first elected to public office at the age of 18 in 1994, serving on the Village of Tivoli Board of Trustees. In 1995, he became the youngest mayor in the United States and was re-elected five times. In 2006, Molinaro was elected to represent the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly. He won the race for Dutchess County executive in 2011 and was re-elected twice. He also serves as first vice president for the New York State Association of Counties.

Campaign website

https://marcforus.com

Why are you seeking this office?

Why I'm Running

New York and America are at a crossroads, with every decision having a profound and lasting impact for years to come. Do we continue to follow the tired, hackneyed ways of doing things in Washington, the same status quo, or do we have the courage, capacity and character to create the vision of our state and country for which we’ve longed? I’ve made my decision: I’ve decided to dedicate myself to the people of New York and seek to represent you in Congress.

From my days as a teen-aged village trustee and youngest mayor in America, through my career in the New York State Assembly, and now, nearly a decade as Dutchess County Executive, I’ve continually worked to mold consensus and tirelessly serve the residents I’ve represented — my neighbors who’ve entrusted me with their confidence to serve their community with their best interest at heart. It’s a sacred trust I’ve long embraced, a pact I’m honored to live up to each day.

Our community needs a proven leader in the House of Representatives, one with a track record of working to find solutions, not stoke the deep division that continues to keep our state and nation from reaching its fullest. For more than a quarter-century, I’ve earned the trust of New Yorkers by unifying people of different backgrounds and ideas to bring about a greater good for the people I’ve served. I’ve done it in the Hudson Valley. I’ve done it in Albany.

I will do it again in Washington.

The son of a mother who, for some time, raised a young family on her own, I know the value of hard work and determination. The father of four children, including one on the autism spectrum, I know the importance of family, giving your all for your loved ones no matter the personal sacrifice. A public servant since 1995, I’ve spent my adult life dedicated to working for my community, always delivering results for those I’ve served.

The past year-and-a-half, these most challenging times of our lifetimes, have called for great leadership, and never has the ability to bring accord been more valuable; it has literally been a matter of life and death. I know all too well the human loss this pandemic has brought to our community, our state and our nation. In light of such grave consequences, I’m running for the future of our community — the health, safety and well-being of my neighbors — and to help New York and America rebound and fulfill the ideal of our state and country for which we’ve longed.

I’m running for the future of my children and yours; for employees who have struggled like never before to maintain the American dream; for small business owners whose ambitions and livelihoods have been ravaged; for those who have been marginalized, left out and relegated to the sidelines for too long. I’m running to make NY-19 a better place in which to live, work and raise a family.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

We grew up very poor. My mom often says I raised myself; she was a single mother for a long time. We were on food stamps for a while, and it instilled in me a desire to do something good for all those in my situation. I’ve dedicated my entire life to public service. I have worked for no one but the people of New York State. I’m not on team red or team blue, I will be a truly independent voice for upstate New York.

My opponent will be a rubber stamp yes vote for Joe Biden and radical Democrats who helped create this high tax, inflation crisis. He’s in lock step with President Biden, having donated thousands of dollars to him. In addition, my opponent, a wealthy corporate lawyer who lives in Washington, D.C., only moved to New York a year ago after he decided to run for Congress. He hasn’t voted in New York in 16 years, and is not in touch with these upstate communities. His primary residence is a $1.8 million mansion in a fancy neighborhood in D.C., that he can afford because of his job as partner at a law firm that specializes in the defense of Harvey Weinstein and the silencing of his female victims.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

I’m passionate about changing the way our community treats, and thinks about, those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 2015, we started our ThinkDifferently initiative that has spread across New York State. Challenging individuals, businesses and governments to think differently about people of all abilities under my leadership Dutchess County has become one of the most accessible counties in the nation. I want to bring that message from acceptance and inclusivity to our nation's capital.

Editor's note: The candidate's responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity.