Southern Tier Democrat Josh Riley will make another run for Congress.
The fifth-generation Endicott native and lawyer announced Tuesday morning he will again seek New York's 19th Congressional District seat in the 2024 elections.
Riley was defeated in a close race in November by Republican Marc Molinaro, losing by about 2 points.
“Upstate New Yorkers are nothing if not resilient,” Riley said in a statement. “When the world faces big challenges, we always rise to meet them. I’m running for Congress because I believe this is a Valley of Opportunity, and we deserve a politics that serves hard-working Upstate New Yorkers, not deep-pocketed special interests. That’s why I’ll always protect Social Security, defend a woman’s right to choose, and fight to strengthen the Middle Class, and it’s why I’ll never take a penny of corporate PAC money.”
Riley, born in Broome County, served as a staff assistant for former Rep. Maurice Hinchey’s office, as a policy analyst at the U.S. Department of Labor and counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Riley already has the support of 20 Democratic Party county chairs across the district.
“As Democratic Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs across New York’s 19th Congressional District, we are excited to support Josh Riley in his campaign for Congress,” they said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Josh is a fifth-generation Upstate New Yorker with the roots, work ethic, and experience needed to deliver results for this District."
Riley's candidacy sets up a potential rematch in one of New York's most competitive races. The 19th District, which stretches from Poughkeepsie and the Massachusetts border west to include the cities of Binghamton and Ithaca, is part of a trifecta of House races in the Hudson Valley that were close in the 2022 midterm elections. Since Republicans flipped two of those seats, and with the GOP having a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, the region will likely see major support and attention from both parties next year as control of the chamber could be in play once again.
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