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With all 263 election districts reporting, Oliva earned 3,228 votes (57.45 percent), with opponent Kenneth Del Vecchio receiving 2,352 (41.86 percent).
In an interview at the Putnam County Board of Elections' office in Carmel, which took place before all of the district-level results came in, Oliva expressed confidence in his performance.
“It certainly looks good,” he said of the results.
Turnout for the race was low. The state board lists just 5,619 votes having been cast out of 131,825 active enrolled Republicans.
Oliva, who acknowledged the low voting rate, expressed gratitude for people who showed up in general. For those who voted for Oliva, he said, "I won't let them down."
Oliva is a Somers resident and a senior advisor to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino. He also has a business called Gipper Communications, whose name is a nod to former President Ronald Reagan.
Del Vecchio is an Orange County filmmaker, an author and a former judge. He sought to run to Oliva's right during the primary, arguing that he is not conservative enough, for example, on guns, and claimed that he is a political insider. Del Vecchio also aggressively touted his support for Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee.
Oliva, who said he will also support Trump, described his opponent as having run a “very bombastic campaign, a self-funded campaign.” In contrast, Oliva said that he ran above the fray.
Oliva, who also holds the Conservative Party and Reform Party ballot lines, will face Democratic incumbent Sean Patrick Maloney in November's general election.
“I believe Sean is an out-of-touch Washington politician,” Oliva said.
Oliva blasted Maloney for taking part in a sit in last week at the House of Representatives, which was done to push for gun control legislation in the Republican-controlled chamber.
“You know, last week he sat on the floor of the – literally sat on the floor in a sit-in on the House of Representatives and he called it the best day he had in Congress," he said. "I won't sit in, I'll stand up and I'll fight for the issues that matter and that the district cares about.”
Del Vecchio's social-media pages and his campaign website do not have a recreation to the results.
Regarding Trump's candidacy, Oliva believes that he can defeated Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in the district. Oliva added that Trump is known in the region, citing his properties as an example.
“I think this district is really yearning for change," Oliva said. "I think Donald Trump represents that.”
Seeking to compare himself to Trump, Oliva that both are running in response to people being fed up with the direction of the country.
The 18th Congressional District includes all of Putnam County, northeastern Westchester County, southwestern Dutchess County and all of Orange County.
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