A fifth-generation Endicott native and lawyer is running for the Democratic nomination to unseat U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney in New York’s 22nd Congressional District.
Josh Riley has been a staff assistant for former Rep. Maurice Hinchey’s office, a policy analyst at the U.S. Department of Labor and counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. His opening campaign remarks revolved heavily around his working class heritage, saying the generations before him worked at the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company and IBM.
My name is Josh Riley. I’m a 5th generation native of Endicott, NY. I’m running for Congress in #NY22 because we need more Upstate New York Square Deal values in Washington. pic.twitter.com/Ko5sIuq9OM
— Joshua Riley (@JoshuaUE99) November 9, 2021
“A lot of folks here often feel like we’ve been left behind or overlooked. And that’s because greed on Wall Street and out-of-touch politicians in Washington from both parties overlook or look down on communities like ours,” Riley said in his campaign announcement video.
Republican Rep. Tenney represented the district, which spans the Mohawk Valley to the Southern Tier, from 2017 to 2019. She lost re-election to Anthony Brindisi, but defeated him in a very close rematch election in 2020. Brindisi said he wouldn’t seek the seat again.
The 22nd Congressional District may also look slightly different next year once New York’s legislative redistricting process is complete.
