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Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, was leading Riley 51.1 to 48.9 percent with 99 percent of the vote counted as of Wednesday evening, Nov. 9.
The 19th District includes the counties of Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster, as well as portions of Broome, Dutchess, Montgomery, and Rensselaer counties.
President Biden won the district under its previous boundaries in 2020.
“I am incredibly grateful to the people in New York’s 19th Congressional District,” Molinaro said on Twitter, shortly after the race was called.
“I commend my opponent Josh Riley, because running for office is incredibly challenging - and credit belongs to the individual who enters the arena.”
Molinaro said his goal was to listen to, learn from, and serve all of the district.
“Together we will focus on solutions to address inflations, crime and mental health, along with having the best constituent services for upstate New York,” he continued. “Corine and I are incredibly grateful and I am honored to serve.”
Riley later issued his own statement on Twitter conceding the race and said he had called Molinaro to congratulate him on his “hard-fought victory.”
“With the ballots cast, votes counted, and campaign ended, let’s set aside our divisions and do our best to unite,” Riley said.
“It’s in that spirit that I wish @MarcMolinaro much success as he goes to Congress to represent us.”
Molinaro laid out several key priorities on the campaign trail, including reducing inflation and the cost of living, addressing mental health, ending the opioid epidemic, and supporting veterans and seniors.
Riley ran on defending and strengthening democracy, reducing gun violence, ensuring access to abortion, and protecting the environment.
A native of Yonkers, Molinaro became the youngest mayor in the United States when he was elected mayor of Tivoli in 1995 at the age of 18. He was subsequently re-elected mayor five times and served in the Dutchess County Legislature.
In 2006, he was elected to represent the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly, where he served until 2011.
Most recently, he has headed Dutchess County government since 2012 after three successful bids for county executive.
Molinaro was the Republican nominee for New York governor in 2018, but ultimately came up short against incumbent Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the general election.
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