City & State: Marc Molinaro shifts to the right

"Observers of the race and longtime followers of Molinaro's career have had some trouble making heads or tails of his behavior."

Vulnerable New York Republican Marc Molinaro is under fire again for his continued shift towards the far-right's blatant extremism.

Just one day after The New York Times reported that Molinaro is "embracing far-right rhetoric and occasionally going so far as to indulge in racist conspiracy theories," new reporting from City & State highlights how the Republican's "mannerisms and rhetoric have even drawn concerns from members of his own party."

On display: Molinaro's embrace of "a debunked right-wing conspiracy theory," his "flirtation with the right flank" including supporting anti-abortion extremist Jim Jordan for speaker of the House, and his recent campaigning alongside "Rep. Steve Scalise, who has been linked to white supremacist organizations."

In stark contrast, NY-19 Democratic nominee Josh Riley has proven that he is ready to hit the ground running in Congress to deliver transparency, bipartisanship, and real solutions for Upstate New Yorkers.

DCCC Spokesperson Ellie Dougherty:
"Marc Molinaro's full embrace of hateful conspiracy theories, the far-right, and House Republicans' Project 2025 agenda demonstrates just how much he has abandoned his responsibility to represent Upstate New Yorkers."

Read more below.

City & State: Marc Molinaro shifts to the right
Austin Jefferson | October 15, 2024

• For years, Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro's career in the Hudson Valley was defined by a common-sense approach to policy and a friendly demeanor, noted by supporters and opponents alike. But as he nears a rematch with Democrat Josh Riley - his third tight congressional race in as many years - he has embraced a coarser version of conservative politics more in line with Donald Trump's MAGA brand. For some who have observed his political trajectory, it seems clear that this isn't the same old Marc.

• Molinaro first appeared on the radar of average New Yorkers and political observers in 1994, when he became the youngest mayor in American history, running the village of Tivoli as a teenager. From there, he moved up to the Dutchess County Legislature and then the Assembly. He spent over a decade as Dutchess County executive, which included a failed campaign for governor against then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018. Then he turned his eyes to Washington, D.C., running in a special election to replace Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado in the 19th Congressional District.

• In recent months, Molinaro's mannerisms and rhetoric have even drawn concerns from members of his own party. The most glaring example may be the pets debacle. Last month, Molinaro parroted a debunked right-wing conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, had been eating pets, which he tied into his regular attack that Riley supported migrants' illegal entry into the country during his time working as counsel for the U.S. Senate. A Republican criticizing the outcome of Democrats' immigration policy isn't remarkable, but a New York Republican leaning on debunked rumors and repeatedly doubling down in the face of pushback is. Even Rep. Mike Lawler, one of Molinaro's fellow Republicans in the New York delegation, obliquely criticized Molinaro, releasing a statement warning his colleagues to "exercise great restraint when spreading unfounded theories and claims based off of posts on Facebook."

• Then there was the House speaker race - after California Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost his speakership in October due to far-right members of Congress reneging on their support, Molinaro and House Republicans found themselves voting for days in search of a speaker. Molinaro voted twice for Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio - the inaugural chair of the House Freedom Caucus, a collection of lawmakers dedicated to pushing the party further to the ideological right - before he joined other members of New York's Republican delegation in voting for former Rep. Lee Zeldin.

• But what seemed like a one-off flirtation with the right flank wasn't just that. Molinaro has invited far-right members of Congress to campaign alongside him in New York. Jordan joined him in Broome County for a campaign event in late August, while Rep. Steve Scalise, who has been linked to white supremacist organizations, helped him fundraise in late September.

• Observers of the race and longtime followers of Molinaro's career have had some trouble making heads or tails of his behavior.

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