Marcus J. Molinaro (born October 8, 1975) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 19th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Molinaro was a member of the Dutchess County Legislature and the New York State Assembly before being elected county executive of Dutchess County, New York in 2011. He was reelected county executive in 2015 and 2019. Molinaro is also a former mayor of Tivoli; when he became mayor at age 19, he was the youngest mayor in the United States. Molinaro was the Republican nominee for governor of New York in 2018, losing to Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo. On September 21, 2021, Molinaro announced that he would run for New York's 19th district in the United States House of Representatives in 2022. In the special election held on August 23, 2022, Molinaro lost to Democratic nominee Pat Ryan, the Ulster County executive, 51.2% to 48.8%. Molinaro was the Republican nominee for the same seat in the November 2022 general election, this time defeating Democratic nominee Josh Riley under new district lines. Ryan, who defeated Molinaro in August, was also elected to a full term simultaneously in a neighboring district. Early life Molinaro was born in Yonkers, New York, to Anthony Molinaro and Dona Vananden. After his parents' divorce, he and his mother moved to Beacon, New York, in 1980, and to Tivoli, New York, in 1989. Molinaro's mother struggled financially, and the family received food stamps. Molinaro graduated from Dutchess Community College with an Associate of Science degree in Humanities and Social Sciences. Early political career Molinaro was first elected to public office at the age of 18 in 1994, when he was elected to the Village of Tivoli's Board of Trustees. In 1995, he became the youngest mayor in the U.S. when he was elected mayor of Tivoli. He was reelected five times, and also served in the Dutchess County Legislature. New York State Assembly In 2006, Molinaro was elected to represent the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly. He served in the Assembly until 2011. In January 2011, at the recommendation of Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Molinaro to serve on the Governor's Mandate Relief Redesign Team. Dutchess County Executive Molinaro announced his bid to succeed 20-year Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus in May 2011. The campaign was endorsed by the county's