NY-19: Marcus Molinaro (R)

REPLACING:

Pat Ryan (D)

WORK HISTORY:

New York State Assembly (Assemblymember, District 103); Dutchess County (NY) Government (County Executive); Dutchess County (NY) Legislature (Member); Village of Tivoli (Mayor); Prudential Serls Prime Properties (Licensed Real Estate Salesperson)[ii]

EDUCATION:

AD, Dutchess Community College; Community Leadership Alliance, Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University[iii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Reducing Inflation and Our Cost of Living; Solving America’s Energy Crisis; Addressing America’s Mental Health Crises; Ending the Opioid Epidemic; ThinkDIFFERENTLY; Supporting Our Veterans; Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets; Pro-Israel Position; Supporting our Seniors[iv]

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Molinaro has said that he is “pro-life,” and believes access to abortions should be determined by the states, rather than the federal government.[v]  He has expressed opposition to a nationwide abortion ban but support for states to institute “thoughtful limitations” on late-term abortions.[vi] He has also said that exceptions to abortion limits should be made in cases of rape, incest, and to protect the life of the mother.[vii]

ECONOMY, JOBS & TAXES:

Molinaro has said he would like to reduce the tax burden, cut the deficit and reduce the national debt by instituting “pay as you go” budget rules, limiting discretionary spending, and other measures.[viii] He also has proposed various measures to combat inflation, including by indexing the individual federal tax code to inflation and reducing spending. To spur growth, he has supported integrating the corporate and individual tax codes to avoid “double taxation” and eliminating “costly and ineffective” tariffs.[ix] He also would pursue measures to lower New Yorkers’ property tax burden, such as restoring the full SALT deduction.

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Molinaro would prioritize ending the opioid crisis by expanding access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and creating a local opioid response grant program, among other measures.[x] Molinaro has said America is in the midst of a “mental health crisis,” which he would address in part by integrating mental health services into primary care settings and introducing a “unified national strategy that is based on smart resource planning and funding, and addresses the country’s mental and behavioral health crisis through local community needs.”[xi] Molinaro also has said that “providing seniors with the best services and programs to enhance their lives is a top priority,” adding, “We need to ensure programs are funded to help seniors live independently, receive needed care in their homes; and travel safely and affordably to visit loved ones, shop and keep doctor’s appointments.”[xii]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

Molinaro has called for increased border security, including additional border patrol agents, and a revamping of the visa process “so that people and particularly temporary and other workers have an easier pathway to legal entry into the U.S.”[xiii] As a gubernatorial candidate in 2018, Molinaro spoke out against the family separation policy for undocumented immigrants at the border, but stopped short of endorsing New York state’s lawsuit against the federal government.[xiv]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

Molinaro has said public safety issues can be addressed with increased funding for local law enforcement agencies and consistent funding for drug trafficking enforcement.[xv] He also said bail reform, discovery reform and other reform policies in New York are making the public “less safe.”[xvi]

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS & ELECTION SECURITY:

Molinaro criticized the FBI following its raid on Mar-A-Lago, saying the agency should provide “full transparency” about the raid and that failure to do so would “further erode public trust.”[xvii]

EDUCATION:

Molinaro has accused state Democrats of opposing parents’ rights in education, adding, “Private schools and yeshivas allow parents to have the utmost partnership with curriculum development which is why many choose that option for their child.”[xviii] He also has criticized the Democratic party for keeping kids out of school during the COVID-19 pandemic.[xix] [xx] Molinaro has suggested each student should have an individualized education plan that includes parents’ input.[xxi]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

Molinaro has said he would support using “a mixed portfolio of energy sources” including wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, and geothermal, along with “well-regulated natural gas extraction.” However, he has criticized the current shift to renewables because he believes the proper infrastructure is not yet in place, leading to higher energy costs.[xxii]  Molinaro also supports using federal funding to modernize the electric grid and to support innovation in the energy sector.[xxiii]

GUN SAFETY:

After the Uvalde shooting, Molinaro criticized existing gun laws but stopped short of endorsing universal background checks or other measures commonly backed by Democrats. He said, “It is imperative we attack the root of the problem here; reducing isolation and fighting hatred by building a community of inclusion.”[xxiv] He has called for more funding for mental health programs and blamed gun violence in part on plea bargain policies and laws that he said have “handcuffed law enforcement.”[xxv] In the state legislature, Molinaro reportedly opposed “prohibiting guns from domestic violence offenders” and “requiring license renewals for pistols and revolvers.”[xxvi]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Molinaro has called for diplomacy with Russia instead of further funding for the Ukrainian military. “I believe that as a country we have met our financial obligation to support Ukraine resistance,” he said, adding that he would oppose also any effort to put “boots on the ground.”[xxvii] In 2021, Molinaro called for a federal investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in China, focusing on the potentially man-made origins of the virus and whether Chinese government negligence contributed to the spread of the disease.[xxviii]