Incumbent Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) and Democrat challenger Josh Riley engaged in a lively and at times contentious debate on Thursday night, just weeks before the upcoming election that will determine the representative for New York‘s 19th district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The candidates sparred over various issues including migration into New York state, crime, antiterrorism, energy costs, abortion, and taxation. The debate often took on a personal tone rather than focusing on policy discussions.
Molinaro accused his opponent of sticking to the same rejected policies from their previous run against each other in 2022. Both candidates attempted to portray themselves as products of humble working-class backgrounds. Riley mentioned his upbringing in a blue-collar area where work ethic was highly valued, while Molinaro described himself as coming from a working-class family that faced challenges when his father was laid off due to downsizing at IBM. Molinaro also tried to paint Riley as a Washington insider with ties to Big Law clients who opposed Riley’s values and policies.
Molinaro positioned himself as an alternative to the Democratic political establishment that he claimed had allowed over 10 million people, including criminals and terrorists, to enter through lax border policies. He cited high-profile crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the district as evidence of this trend.
Riley countered these criticisms by arguing that both Republicans and Democrats were responsible for failing to control the border due to lack of initiative and inadequate resources allocated for border security.
Riley presented himself as an economist populist who understood the struggles faced by working people. He framed voters’ choice as one between economic pragmatism and corporate interests.
The candidates also clashed on issues such as energy costs, energy independence, and Middle East policy. Riley expressed support for developing facilities upstate for sustainable energy production using lithium-ion batteries while creating jobs. Molinaro voiced strong support for Israel during its ongoing conflict with Hamas and expressed concern about rising anti-Semitism experienced by American Jews since an attack by Hamas last year.
Early voting in New York begins on October 26th until November 3rd with Election Day scheduled for November 5th.