Marc Molinaro, the current head of President Trump's Federal Transit Administration, is reportedly considering a bid for Rep. Elise Stefanik's soon-to-be-vacated House seat in upstate New York. Molinaro has been gauging his candidacy with local Republican officials and has expressed interest in potentially crossing-endorsed by the State Conservative Party.
Molinaro, who was previously a member of Congress from New York's 19th Congressional District, served as mayor of Tivoli and county executive in Dutchess County. He also ran for governor in 2018 but lost. His career has been focused primarily on Dutchess County, rather than the larger North Country district that Stefanik represents.
Some Republicans are questioning Molinaro's suitability for the seat due to his relatively weak connection to the district and his more liberal record. Molinaro has publicly identified as pro-choice, expressed support for Black Lives Matter, and spoken about his white privilege, which may be liabilities in a conservative-leaning district.
Molinaro's entry into the race is raising questions about his potential eligibility to serve due to residency concerns. He does not have strong ties to the North Country, where Stefanik's seat is located, and some are labeling him a "carpetbagger."
The Republican nomination for Stefanik's seat is expected to be competitive, with several other candidates already vying for the party's nod. Assemblyman Robert Smullen has also expressed interest in running, as have Anthony Constantino, the owner of Sticker Mule, and at least one other candidate.
It remains to be seen whether Molinaro will ultimately decide to run for Stefanik's seat, but his exploration of the possibility is likely to generate significant buzz within Republican circles.
Molinaro, who was previously a member of Congress from New York's 19th Congressional District, served as mayor of Tivoli and county executive in Dutchess County. He also ran for governor in 2018 but lost. His career has been focused primarily on Dutchess County, rather than the larger North Country district that Stefanik represents.
Some Republicans are questioning Molinaro's suitability for the seat due to his relatively weak connection to the district and his more liberal record. Molinaro has publicly identified as pro-choice, expressed support for Black Lives Matter, and spoken about his white privilege, which may be liabilities in a conservative-leaning district.
Molinaro's entry into the race is raising questions about his potential eligibility to serve due to residency concerns. He does not have strong ties to the North Country, where Stefanik's seat is located, and some are labeling him a "carpetbagger."
The Republican nomination for Stefanik's seat is expected to be competitive, with several other candidates already vying for the party's nod. Assemblyman Robert Smullen has also expressed interest in running, as have Anthony Constantino, the owner of Sticker Mule, and at least one other candidate.
It remains to be seen whether Molinaro will ultimately decide to run for Stefanik's seat, but his exploration of the possibility is likely to generate significant buzz within Republican circles.
This is a bit of a wild card situation with Marc Molinaro potentially throwing his hat into the ring for Rep Elise Stefanik's NY seat. I mean, he has some solid credentials from his time in Dutchess County, but it's a major jump to go from local politics to Congress. And with his more liberal views on issues like abortion and BLM, it could be tough to win over some of the more conservative voters in the area... especially if they're worried about carpetbagging 
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. I'm not sure how much of a connection he has to the North Country, which is a big part of Stefanik's district, so that's something to watch out for. Still, with the right campaigning and messaging, maybe Molinaro can make it work? 
I get it, he's a nice guy and all, but come on, dude! He's been focusing on Dutchess County for years, what makes him think he's qualified to represent the whole North Country? 
And those 'liberal' credentials of his are gonna be a major turn-off for the conservatives in that district... it's like he's trying to fit into a square peg 
first it's gonna be a politician from NYC trying to represent upstate NY and now this guy who actually knows the area might not even be eligible because of residency concerns... how are we supposed to trust him when he has such a liberal record? 
. Plus, his more liberal record might be a major hurdle for him in a conservative district 
That would be a game-changer in Republican circles! But hey, it's always interesting to see unexpected candidates throw their hats into the ring 
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Idk if I'd vote for him lolol but at least he's been open about his views on BLM and stuff...my uncle actually agreed with him on that tho, we had a convo about it and yeah it was pretty interesting 
to me... i mean, he's got a pretty strong connection to dutchess county, where he's been involved in local politics for years, but that's not exactly the same as having strong ties to the north country district stevanik represents 
. plus, with assemblyman robert smullen already throwing his hat into the ring, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out 
Marc Molinaro is really considering a bid in Rep Elise Stefanik's seat and I gotta say I'm low-key rooting for him 
he's got some experience under his belt, having served as mayor of Tivoli and county executive in Dutchess County. Plus, he's been open about his views on BLM and white privilege, which might actually help him connect with voters who are looking for a more nuanced candidate 
I mean, sure, some people are saying he doesn't have strong ties to the North Country, but I think that's a bit unfair 
. But, let's be real, he hasn't exactly been a rockstar of the Republican party 
. He was even a member of Congress who identified as pro-choice? That's like, super liberal for most Republicans 
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. Maybe he can win over some voters with his experience? 
Oh man, this guy Marc Molinaro is like a walking paradox... he's all like "I'm gonna run for Congress" and then suddenly he's all about being a carpetbagger 
He sounds like the ultimate "cool uncle" – minus the coolness. 
. I'm not sure how well his message will resonate with conservatives in the area. On the other hand, he does have some experience from his previous congressional run and mayor stint, so there's that 
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. Those residency concerns better be checked out ASAP 
. What do you think, should he go for it? 
i feel like his liberalism might be a major liability in a district that's supposed to be super conservative 
and what's with all these questions about his residency? doesn't he live there or something? 
. plus, being pro-choice in a super conservative area might make it hard for him to win over voters 
and they were literally amazing 
, what kind of batter did you use? anyway back to this guy Marc Molinaro... i dont really get why he wants to run for that seat in upstate NY, isnt he from Dutchess County already? how does that work? and isnt it kinda weird that he's a rep who says they're pro-choice lol.