Marcus Molinaro

Marcus J. Molinaro (born October 8, 1975) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, Molinaro is the U.S. representative-elect for New York's 19th congressional district, and is currently serving his third term as county executive of Dutchess County, New York. Molinaro was previously a member of the Dutchess County Legislature and the New York State Assembly before being elected county executive for the first time in 2011. He was re-elected county executive in 2015 and 2019. Molinaro is also a former Mayor of Tivoli; when he became mayor at age 19, he was the youngest mayor in the United States.

Molinaro was the Republican nominee for Governor of New York in 2018, but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo. On May 25, 2021, the ''Poughkeepsie Journal'' reported that Molinaro would not run for governor in 2022, instead endorsing Lee Zeldin for the governorship.

On September 21, 2021, Molinaro announced that he would run for New York's 19th district in the United States House of Representatives in 2022. In the special election held on August 23, 2022, Molinaro was defeated by Democrat Pat Ryan, the Ulster County executive, 51.1% to 48.9%. Molinaro was the Republican nominee for the same seat in the November 2022 general election, this time defeating Democratic nominee Josh Riley under new district lines. Pat Ryan, who defeated Molinaro in August, was also elected to a full term simultaneously in a neighboring district under these new lines.

Early life

Molinaro was born in Yonkers, New York, to Anthony Molinaro and Dona Vananden. Following his parents' divorce, he and his mother moved to Beacon, New York, in 1980 and to Tivoli, New York, in 1989. Molinaro's mother struggled financially, and the family received food stamps. Molinaro graduated from Dutchess Community College with an Associate of Science degree in Humanities and Social Sciences.

Early Political career

Molinaro was first elected to public office at the age of 18 in 1994, when he was elected to the Village of Tivoli's Board of Trustees. In 1995, he became the youngest mayor in the United States when he was elected Mayor of Tivoli. Molinaro was re-elected mayor five times, and he also served in the Dutchess County Legislature.

New York State Assembly

In 2006, Molinaro was elected to represent the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly. Molinaro served in the Assembly until 2011. In January 2011, at the recommendation of Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Molinaro to serve on the Governor's Mandate Relief Redesign Team.

Dutchess County Executive

Molinaro announced his bid to succeed twenty-year Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus in May 2011. The campaign was endorsed by the county's Republican, Conservative, and Independence parties. On June 3, Beekman supervisor Dan French was nominated as the Assemblyman's Democratic challenger. Molinaro prevailed on November 8, 2011, with 62% of the vote. Molinaro was sworn into office on January 1, 2012. In 2015, Molinaro was re-elected to a second term, defeating Democratic challenger Diane Jablonski by a margin of 30,181 votes to 17,539 votes. Molinaro won a third term in 2019, defeating Democrat Joseph Ruggiero, 41,285 votes to 29,293.

In 2014, Molinaro was awarded the Pace University Land Use Law Center's Groundbreaker's Award. As County Executive, Molinaro spearheaded a 2015 initiative called "Think Differently" for people with disabilities; he also appointed a Deputy Commissioner of Special Needs in 2016. In 2015, Molinaro was elected Second Vice President of the New York State Association of Counties.

2018 gubernatorial election

In March 2018, Molinaro informed Republican leaders that he would run for Governor of New York in the 2018 election. Molinaro announced his candidacy on April 2, 2018, and was endorsed by the New York Conservative Party on April 13. On May 23, 2018, the Republican Party unanimously nominated Molinaro as its candidate for Governor of New York at its state convention, three days after the Reform Party endorsed Molinaro for their gubernatorial ticket. Molinaro's running mate was Julie Killian, a former Rye City Councilwoman and State Senate candidate. While he was described as a moderate during the campaign, Molinaro said in a March 2018 interview that he considered himself a communitarian.

Molinaro was defeated by incumbent Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the 2018 gubernatorial election, garnering 36% of the vote.

U.S House of Representatives

Elections

2022 Special

On September 21, 2021, Molinaro announced that he was running for Congress in New York's 19th congressional district. Ten days after this announcement, his campaign reported that it had raised at least $350,000. A special election to fill the 19th congressional district seat was held in August 2022. The seat was left vacant following Antonio Delgado's appointment as Lieutenant Governor of New York. Molinaro lost the special election to Democrat Pat Ryan.

2022 general

Molinaro was also the Republican nominee in the November 2022 general election in the 19th district. In that election, he faced Democratic nominee Josh Riley due to redistricting. Molinaro campaigned as a moderate, committing to protect full access to abortion in New York and LGBTQ+ rights. He won the House seat with 51.1% of the vote.

Caucus Memberships

* Republican Main Street Partnership

Personal life

Molinaro and his wife, Corinne Adams, reside in Red Hook, New York. Molinaro had two children with his first wife and he has two children with his current wife. Molinaro's daughter, Abigail, is on the autism spectrum.

Molinaro's father, Anthony Molinaro, died from COVID-19 on April 10, 2020.

Electoral history

References

External links

Marc Molinaro for Congress

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Molinaro, Marcus
1975 births
21st-century American politicians
Candidates in the 2018 United States elections
Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
County executives in New York (state)
Politicians from Dutchess County, New York
Living people
Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly
People from Yonkers, New York
Dutchess Community College alumni