It’s one of the largest and most diverse congressional districts in the state, and newly elected Rep. Marc Molinaro is making sure none of them feel left out.

The congressman is making an 11-county tour, visiting every corner of his district, stretching from Ithaca to the Massachusetts border.

Nearly every morning starts off the same for the newly elected congressman. It all begins behind the wheel, traveling three to four hours each way to reach every part of the district possible. 

“I will say this, I have never lost an ounce of energy, truly from the day I was the 18-year-old trustee, 19-year-old village mayor. Don't slow down. Now, caffeine helps,” said Molinaro, a Republican who represents the 19th Congressional District.

After a quick coffee, he’s back on the road. He doesn’t want any part of the district to feel left behind.

“You can't represent people if you don't, if you're not among them. It's critical just to be out and around. But it is 11 counties, so, you know, I try to get everywhere as often as I can,” said Molinaro.

He arrived just in time for his first meeting of the morning, an 8:30 date with law enforcement agencies from across Broome County. The freshman congressman hears about the challenges many are facing, and shares his own input on ways to help.

The NY-19 was previously represented by Democrat Antonio Delgado. Molinaro defeated political newcomer Josh Riley in November.

Whether he’s in Broome County or across the state in the Hudson Valley, he’s finding many are concerned with the same issues.

“It's cost of living. It's public safety. It's creating job opportunities and making sure that our kids are getting the education they deserve and that we're creating opportunity for them,” said Molinaro.

Just a couple of days later, Molinaro made the nearly three-hour trek from his home in Duchess County to Endwell, for yet another town hall, part of his 11-county tour.

Again, residents continued to express similar worries.

“Whether it's in the Hudson Valley or Catskills, Southern Tier or Central New York, family farms and struggling small businesses want regulatory relief, and parents want their kids to be safe and opportunities for them to raise their family here," said Molinaro.