Josh Riley

Josh Riley
Born	Joshua Paul Riley 21 01, 1981
Birthplace	Endicott, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, lawyer
Known for	U.S. Representative for New York's 19th congressional district
Education	College of William & Mary (BS) Harvard Law School (JD)
Children	2
Website	[joshrileyforcongress.com Official site]

Joshua Paul Riley (born January 21, 1981) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 19th congressional district since January 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Riley represents a largely rural swath of southeastern Upstate New York that includes the cities of Ithaca and Binghamton. Born and raised in the Southern Tier community of Endicott, Riley built a career in law and public policy before entering electoral politics, working as a policy analyst at the U.S. Department of Labor and as counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. After an unsuccessful first bid for Congress in the 2022 midterm elections, Riley ran again in 2024 and defeated incumbent Republican Marc Molinaro to win the seat. In Congress, Riley has focused on issues including utility rate regulation, workforce development, and constituent services in his district.

Early Life

Joshua Paul Riley was born on January 21, 1981, in Endicott, New York, a village in Broome County located in the state's Southern Tier region. The Southern Tier, once a center of manufacturing and technology employment anchored by companies such as IBM and the Endicott-Johnson Corporation, experienced significant economic decline over the latter decades of the twentieth century as major employers downsized or relocated operations. Riley has frequently cited this background in discussing his motivations for entering public service, noting the economic hardships his family and community faced as manufacturing jobs disappeared from the region.

Riley grew up in the Binghamton metropolitan area and has described himself as a product of the local public school system. His roots in the Southern Tier became a central element of his political identity, particularly in distinguishing himself from opponents during his congressional campaigns. In media interviews and campaign appearances, Riley emphasized that he was the only candidate in the 19th district race who had grown up in the region, framing his candidacy as that of a local resident seeking to address the economic and social challenges he had witnessed firsthand.

Education

Riley attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He subsequently attended Harvard Law School, where he earned a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. His educational background in law formed the foundation of a career that would take him through roles in federal government, private legal practice, and ultimately elective office.

Career

Early Professional Career

After completing his legal education, Riley pursued a career in public policy and law in Washington, D.C. He worked as a policy analyst at the United States Department of Labor, where he was involved in labor and employment policy matters. Riley later served as counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, a role in which he worked on legislative and legal issues under the committee's jurisdiction, including matters related to the federal courts, antitrust law, and civil liberties.

In addition to his government service, Riley worked in the private sector as an attorney. His professional experience included work at law firms, where he practiced in areas related to his policy background. Riley has also been described as having worked in roles advising on corporate legal matters prior to his entry into politics.

2022 Congressional Campaign

Riley entered electoral politics in November 2021, when he announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives. He initially declared his intention to run in a Central New York–based congressional district, seeking to challenge incumbent Republican Claudia Tenney. However, New York's congressional map underwent significant changes as a result of the decennial redistricting process. The state's initial maps, drawn by the Democratic-controlled legislature, were struck down by the courts, and a special master drew new district lines in 2022.

The redrawn maps significantly altered the composition of districts in Upstate New York. In response to these changes, Riley shifted his campaign to the newly configured 19th congressional district, which encompassed the Southern Tier and other parts of southeastern Upstate New York, including his hometown of Endicott. Riley argued that his roots in the district made him a natural fit for the seat and emphasized his local upbringing as a distinguishing factor in the race.

In the August 2022 Democratic primary for the 19th district, Riley faced Jamie Cheney, among other candidates. He won the primary, securing the Democratic nomination. The general election pitted Riley against Republican Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive. The race was considered competitive, and both parties invested significant resources in the contest. The 2022 election cycle in New York saw several closely watched House races, with national implications for control of the chamber.

Molinaro prevailed in the November 2022 general election, defeating Riley and flipping the seat for Republicans. The result was part of a broader trend in New York State, where Republicans performed strongly in several suburban and exurban districts during the 2022 midterms.

2024 Congressional Campaign

Following his 2022 defeat, Riley mounted a second campaign for the 19th district seat in the 2024 election cycle. He again ran as the Democratic nominee, this time challenging the incumbent Molinaro. The rematch attracted national attention as Democrats sought to reclaim seats they had lost in the 2022 cycle, particularly in New York, where several competitive districts were seen as critical to the party's efforts to win or maintain a House majority.

Riley won the November 2024 general election, defeating Molinaro and flipping the seat back to the Democratic column. His victory was part of a broader set of Democratic gains in New York House races during the 2024 cycle. Riley succeeded Molinaro and took office on January 3, 2025.

Tenure in Congress

Riley was sworn in as the U.S. representative for New York's 19th congressional district at the start of the 119th United States Congress on January 3, 2025. As a freshman member of the House, he has focused on a range of issues affecting his largely rural district, including utility costs, economic development, workforce training, and immigration enforcement.

Utility Rate Regulation

One of Riley's most prominent early actions in office has been his involvement in opposing proposed utility rate increases by New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), subsidiaries of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola through its American holding company Avangrid. In February 2026, Riley participated in hearings in Albany where he cross-examined executives from NYSEG regarding a proposed approximately 25% rate increase that the utility had filed with the New York State Public Service Commission.

During the hearings, Riley raised questions about NYSEG's financial practices, highlighting that the company had sent approximately $450 million in dividends to its parent company Iberdrola in 2025, even as it was seeking substantial rate increases from consumers in its service territory. He argued that the rate increase proposal was unjustified in light of the dividend payments and challenged the executives on the company's spending priorities.

Riley's efforts on utility regulation were noted in a January 2026 report by The American Prospect, which profiled several members of Congress working to address rising utility costs for ratepayers across the country. The article identified Riley as one of the elected officials escalating efforts to rein in investor-owned utilities.

Workforce Development

Riley has also worked on bipartisan legislation related to workforce development in emerging technology fields. He co-introduced legislation with Republican Representative Mike Lawler of New York aimed at enhancing the United States' quantum computing workforce and increasing accountability in emerging technology programs. The bipartisan nature of the legislation reflected Riley's stated interest in working across party lines on economic and technology policy issues relevant to his district and the broader Upstate New York region.

Immigration

Riley's positions on immigration enforcement have drawn both support and criticism from constituents. In early 2026, the Ithaca Times published letters to the editor expressing support for Riley's pushback against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, suggesting that some of his actions regarding immigration enforcement had generated significant constituent engagement.

Foreign Policy

Riley's foreign policy positions, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have also generated public discussion in his district. In October 2025, The Ithacan reported that residents of Ithaca had expressed concern and disagreement over Riley's support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Political Standing

As a Democrat representing a competitive district, Riley has been identified as a "frontline" member — a designation used for incumbents in swing seats who face potentially difficult re-election campaigns. A February 2026 report in Politico noted that Riley, along with fellow New York Democrats Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, had built significant campaign fundraising reserves ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The report characterized the financial positions of these members as advantageous heading into what was expected to be a competitive election cycle for New York House seats.

Personal Life

Riley has two children. He resides in the 19th congressional district in the Southern Tier region of New York State, the area where he grew up. Riley has spoken publicly about his connection to the Endicott and Binghamton area and the impact that the region's economic challenges had on his family and his decision to pursue a career in public policy and law.

Recognition

In 2025, Riley and Republican Representative Mike Lawler won the People's Choice Award in Anheuser-Busch's Brew Across America Congressional Brewing Competition, a lighthearted annual event that pairs members of Congress from opposing parties to collaborate on brewing a beer. The competition is designed to promote bipartisan cooperation among members of the House.

Riley's work on utility regulation has been recognized in national media coverage. The American Prospect profiled him as one of several members of Congress actively working to reduce electricity costs for consumers, highlighting his confrontations with utility executives over proposed rate increases in his district.