RHINEBECK – Marcus Molinaro, Dutchess County Executive for the past decade, is running for Congress, he officially announced on Tuesday. Molinaro, who ran against disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo will be challenging US Rep. Antonio Delgado to represent the 19th Congressional District.
In his campaign announcement, Molinaro said “I’ll be very candid with you all. I never thought Congress was the place where I could make the most difference.”
The Dutchess County Executive justified his bid for Congress, saying “Our nation is at a crossroads. Common sense, competence, and compassion are completely lost from decision-making, As a result, skyrocketing prices at the gas pump and grocery aisles are hurting working families, small businesses are closing not because they don’t have customers, but because they can’t hire workers, and Covid science has been discarded for partisan politics.”
Citing the current crisis in the Middle East, the longtime government servant also said “Public safety is threatened by shortsighted policies that undermine law enforcement, threaten victims and witnesses and even hurt the well being of offenders, an embarrassing and deadly retreat from Afghanistan has made America and New York less safe than any time since September 11, 2001.”
Molinaro denounced what he says is Delgado’s “silence” on issues including the Cuomo sexual harassment scandal and the Cuomo nursing home death cover-up, as well as what he perceives to be a neglect of children suffering because of politically-driven policies that do not accept science when it comes to the education environment.
“We didn’t hear a peep of protest. Not even a whisper of disagreement from our member of Congress,” Molinaro stressed.
Delgado’s campaign responded to the announcement from Molinaro, saying “As promised, Antonio Delgado has fought for our region day in and day out and achieved meaningful results. He has held 63 town halls and crisscrossed all 11 counties in our upstate district many times over.” The campaign touted what they consider to be Delgado successes, adding “He has had 12 bills signed into law under Democratic and Republican administrations and secured over $400 million in direct support for our counties, towns, and villages. He looks forward to continuing that work every single day.”
The NY-19 Congressional district encompasses Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster counties along with parts of Broome, Dutchess, Montgomery, and Rensselaer counties.
Delgado was first elected to Congress in 2018 and was reelected in 2020.
NEWS STORY PROVIDED BY: Mid Hudson News -www.midhudsonnews.com