Marc Molinaro vs Josh Riley: Why NY-19 is one of the most expensive US House races

NEW YORK - In New York's 19th congressional district, Democrat Josh Riley is fighting to unseat Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro this Election Day – a rematch of their close 2022 contest that Politico has dubbed "New York's nastiest House race."

NY-19, which stretches from the Finger Lakes down to the New York City exurbs in Sullivan County, is projected to be one of the most closely contested House races in the 2024 election.

Though President Biden carried the district in his 2020 bid for the presidency, Molinaro was able to win it over two years later by a slim 2% margin.

Polls show this election is a toss-up – and both parties are pouring money into the district in hopes of eking out an edge. According to the Guardian, at least $38.4 million was planned for ad spending, making NY-19 the fourth most expensive race in the country.

Check here for real-time race results on Election Day!

Who is Rep. Marc Molinaro?

Molinaro entered politics as soon as he was old enough to vote – at just 19, he was elected mayor of Tivoli, Dutchess County, becoming the youngest mayor in the country at that time, according to his campaign website.

He worked his way up the New York State Republican political ladder. After his five terms as mayor, he was elected to the Dutchess County Legislature before serving in the state assembly and later as county executive. In 2018, he unsuccessfully ran against Andrew Cuomo for New York governor.

Throughout his political career, Molinaro had a reputation for working across the aisle and courted moderate voters by distancing himself from former President Donald Trump.  

But according to the New York Times, Molinaro has pivoted to the right for this campaign, a shift noticed by allies and voters alike. He has vocalized support for Trump's tough anti-immigration policies and even shared conspiracy theories related to the Republican nominee's debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating Springfield, Ohio, residents' pets.

"The public now is angry," Molinaro told the Times, defending his political turn. "And the people I represent are furious."

He lives with his wife and three children.

Who is Josh Riley?

Riley was born and raised in Endicott, an Upstate New York town near Binghamton. According to his campaign website, Riley's career in politics was inspired by his childhood: He watched local factories close and saw "his community struggle while Wall Street enjoyed soaring corporate profits."

A graduate of Harvard Law School, Riley joined the workforce as a private practice lawyer. His experience in politics includes work as a policy analyst for the Department of Labor, as a staff assistant to former Rep. Maurice Hinchey and as general counsel to former Sen. Al Franken, WSKG reported.

Riley has been open to criticism of his Democratic counterparts, especially on immigration, and touted his bipartisan efforts as a general counsel. Molinaro has used Riley's background to frame him as a part of the "corporate elite."

He now lives in Ithaca with his wife and two children.

Where the candidates stand

Immigration

Riley has distanced himself from the Biden administration on immigration and border security, criticizing his party for being "too slow to act on the border problem." According to WSKG, Riley has called for more border agents in some areas and a "surge in immigration judges."

"Number one, secure the damn border. Send the technology. Get it off the shelves. Go do your job. Pay for the technology to go to the border to detect the fentanyl. Pay for it. Get it done. Stop the fentanyl from coming in," Riley said during the candidates' Oct. 10 debate.

Molinaro, meanwhile, has tied Riley to Democrats’ border policies, blaming them for violent crimes like a rape in Albany and a murder in Rochester.

Molinaro has leaned heavily into the MAGA anti-migrant sentiment, pointing to New York City's migrant crisis in attack ads against his opponent.

"I voted for the strictest border security policy in generations, and [President Joe Biden] chose not to negotiate, not to engage, and instead turn his back," Molinaro argued during the Oct. 10 debate.

Economy 

Citing his family's experience with industrial decline and "greedy corporations," Riley has put fighting corruption and the economy at the forefront of his campaign. He promises to work on cutting taxes for the middle class and requiring "the wealthy and big corporations to pay their fair share."

Molinaro, meanwhile, said he'd fight inflation by "prioritizing productivity, encouraging innovation and investment, supporting families and empowering those with low income and EBT/SNAP."

Abortion

Riley has criticized Molinaro for repeatedly voting to make it more difficult to obtain an abortion and has suggested that Molinaro would vote for a national abortion ban, which he denies.

"The decision ... should be left to a woman and a physician, not Washington … I oppose a national ban, and I remain committed to opposing a national ban," Molinaro said.

"He’s lying to you," Riley retorted during the Oct. 10 debate.