Josh Riley

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Josh Riley

| image = Rep. Josh Riley official photo, 119th Congress.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2025

| alt = Official House portrait of Riley smiling in front of the U.S. flag, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and striped red, blue, and black tie.

| state = New York

| district = {{ushr|NY|19|19th}}

| term_start = January 3, 2025

| term_end =

| predecessor = Marc Molinaro

| successor =

| birth_name = Joshua Paul Riley

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|1|21}}

| birth_place = Endicott, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = {{marriage|Monica Kohli|2016}}

| children = 2

| education = College of William and Mary (BS)
Harvard University (JD)

| signature = Signature of Josh Riley.svg

| website = {{url|http://riley.house.gov/|House website}}

}}

Joshua Paul Riley (born January 21, 1981) is an American politician and lawyer who has served as the U.S. Representative for New York's 19th congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously worked as a policy analyst at the U.S. Department of Labor and as counsel on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. His district covers the southeastern part of Upstate New York, including rural areas along with the cities of Ithaca and Binghamton.

Early life and education

Joshua Paul Riley was born on January 21, 1981,{{Cite web |title=Rep. Josh Riley – D New York, 19th – Biography |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/180449/Joshua_Paul_Riley.html |access-date=November 6, 2024 |website=LegiStorm |language=en}}{{cite news |title=New York New Members 2025 |url=https://thehill.com/new-members-guide-2025/5003190-new-york-new-members-2025/ |access-date=December 11, 2024 |work=The Hill |date=December 11, 2024}} in Endicott, New York, to Paul and Barbara Riley.{{cite news |last=Henderson |first=Nick |date=August 15, 2022 |title=Josh Riley brings experience to 19th District race |url=https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2022/08/15/josh-riley-brings-experience-to-19th-district-race/ |work=Hudson Valley One |access-date=September 14, 2022}}{{cite news |last=Golden |first=Vaughn |date=August 10, 2022 |title=NY-19 primary: Josh Riley touts policy experience, Southern Tier roots |url=https://wskg.org/ny-19-primary-josh-riley-touts-policy-experience-southern-tier-roots/ |work=WSKG-FM |access-date=September 14, 2022}} He graduated from Union-Endicott High School in 1999 and earned a bachelor's degree in government and economics from the College of William & Mary in 2003.{{cite news |last=Cunnington |first=Tyler |date=November 9, 2021 |title=Binghamton Native and First-Time Politician Josh Riley Announces his Running for Congress |url=https://www.wicz.com/story/45155209/binghamton-native-and-firsttime-politician-josh-riley-announces-his-running-for-congress |work=WICZ-TV |access-date=September 14, 2022}}{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Robert |date=February 5, 2022 |title=Josh Riley joins Democratic field in race to represent Auburn, Syracuse in Congress |url=https://auburnpub.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/josh-riley-joins-democratic-field-in-race-to-represent-auburn-syracuse-in-congress/article_3df89cf5-58a4-5899-bb39-500b9f1e883d.html |work=The Citizen |access-date=September 14, 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/205997/joshua-riley |title=Joshua Riley's Biography |website=Justfacts.votesmart.org |publisher=Vote Smart |access-date=September 15, 2022}}

During college, Riley worked as an aide to U.S. Representative Maurice Hinchey, whom he credited with inspiring his interest in public service.{{cite news |last=Teitelbaum |first=Felix |date=May 12, 2022 |title=Interview: Congressional Candidate Josh Riley |url=https://www.wrfi.org/2022/05/12/interview-congressional-candidate-josh-riley-2022-05-12/ |work=WRFI |access-date=September 14, 2022}} After graduating, he worked as a policy analyst at the United States Department of Labor, focusing on unemployment and trade adjustment programs.

In 2004, Riley enrolled at Harvard Law School, where he worked as a Heyman Fellow on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He also volunteered for a legal aid clinic to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. He graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2007 and was presented the Dean's Award for Community Leadership from then-Dean of Harvard Law School and current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.

Legal career

After law school, Riley worked as an associate in the law firm of Boies Schiller Flexner for two years. He then clerked for Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California. From 2011 to 2014, he served as general counsel to Senator Al Franken on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.{{cite news |last=Rod |first=Marc |date=September 8, 2022 |title=Molinaro looks for a second chance in a new NY-19, with a new opponent |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2022/09/marc-molinaro-joshua-riley-congress-new-york-midterms/ |access-date=November 19, 2022 |work=Jewish Insider}} Riley later returned to Boies Schiller Flexner, where he became a partner and remained until 2021. He then worked as a partner at Jenner & Block.

U.S. House of Representatives

= Elections =

== 2022 ==

{{Main|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 19|l1 = 2022 New York's 19th congressional district election}}

File:New York's 19th congressional district (new version) (since 2023).svg between 2023 and 2025]]

In November 2021, Riley declared his candidacy for Congress in New York's 22nd congressional district, challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney.{{cite news |last=Weiner |first=Mark |date=November 9, 2021 |title=Former U.S. Senate lawyer will seek to unseat Rep. Claudia Tenney in 2022 election |url=https://www.syracuse.com/politics/2021/11/former-us-senate-lawyer-will-seek-to-unseat-rep-claudia-tenney-in-2022-election.html |work=The Post-Standard |access-date=September 14, 2022}} Due to redistricting, redrawing of the map by a court-appointed special master, and U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado resigning to become the Lieutenant Governor of New York, Riley ended up running in the new 19th congressional district.{{cite news |last=Weiner |first=Mark |date=May 16, 2022 |title=Josh Riley exits race for Congress in Central New York to campaign in Southern Tier |url=https://www.syracuse.com/politics/2022/05/josh-riley-exits-race-for-congress-in-central-new-york-to-campaign-in-southern-tier.html |work=The Post-Standard |access-date=September 14, 2022}}

The old 19th district was represented by Pat Ryan, a Democrat, who won the August special election to succeed Delgado but ran in the new New York's 18th congressional district in the November general election due to redistricting.{{cite news |last=Ashford |first=Grace |date=August 24, 2022 |title=Democrat Pat Ryan Wins in House Race That Turned on Abortion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/24/nyregion/pat-ryan-special-election-abortion.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=September 15, 2022}} The 18th district became vacant when incumbent U.S. Representative Sean Patrick Maloney decided to run in the neighboring 17th congressional district after redistricting, which forced out U.S. Representative Mondaire Jones, the incumbent of the 17th district.{{cite news |last=Fandos |first=Nicholas |date=May 17, 2022 |title=Fearing 'Extinction-Level Event,' N.Y. Democrats Turn Against Each Other |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/17/nyregion/democrats-redistrict-ny.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=September 15, 2022}}

Riley defeated Dutchess County businesswoman Jamie Cheney in the Democratic primary and faced Republican nominee and Dutchess County executive Marc Molinaro in the general election.{{cite news |last=Golden |first=Vaughn |date=August 24, 2022 |title=Riley defeats Cheney in Democratic primary for 19th Congressional District |url=https://wskg.org/riley-defeats-cheney-in-19th-congressional-district-primary/ |work=WSKG-FM |access-date=September 15, 2022}} Molinaro lost the August special election to Pat Ryan for the old 19th district, but was on the ballot again in November for the new 19th district. Molinaro defeated Riley in the general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-09/republican-molinaro-wins-new-york-house-race|title=Marc Molinaro Wins New York House Race, Defeating Democrat Riley|first=Vincent|last=Lee|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=November 9, 2022|accessdate=November 10, 2022}}

== 2024 ==

{{Main|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 19|l1 = 2024 New York's 4th congressional district election}}

Riley defeated Molinaro in a rematch in the general election.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/06/nyregion/new-york-house-molinaro-riley.html | title=Democrats Flip a Second House Seat in New York, Toppling Molinaro | website=The New York Times | date=November 6, 2024 }}{{cite web|title=Dem Josh Riley topples House Republican in crucial upstate New York district|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/06/josh-riley-wins-new-york-house-race-00187299|last=Ngo|first=Emily|publisher=Politico|date=November 6, 2024|access-date=November 6, 2024}}

= Tenure =

File:Josh Riley day of swearing into 119th Congress.jpg, 2025]]

Riley was sworn into office on January 3, 2025, and was assigned to the House Committees on Agriculture and on Science, Space, and Technology. The following month, he introduced his first bill – a bipartisan measure to update the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program by raising funding caps and broadening eligibility for low-income households.{{Cite news |last=Frey |first=Kevin |date=February 13, 2025 |title=Rep. Josh Riley sponsors first bill, aimed at helping households weatherize homes |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/hudson-valley/politics/2025/02/13/representative-josh-riley-first-bill-sponsor |work=Spectrum News}}

Amid an ongoing avian flu outbreak in New York state, Riley introduced bipartisan legislation to expand financial aid to all poultry producers within affected control zones, with the aim to support family farms, contain the virus, and lower grocery costs for consumers.{{Cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Matt |date=2025-02-26 |title=Josh Riley Backs Bill to Reduce Grocery Prices as Bird Flu Spreads, but Corporate Power Could Also Be Causing Increased Costs |url=https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/josh-riley-backs-bill-to-reduce-grocery-prices-as-bird-flu-spreads-but-corporate-power/article_561145d4-f45c-11ef-9a5f-075e65cec6d1.html |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=Ithaca Times |language=en}} He subsequently cosponsored the Lowering Egg Prices Act, a bipartisan bill to ease federal regulations that do not distinguish between fresh and pasteurized eggs, which contributes to the annual waste of 400 million otherwise usable eggs.{{Cite news |last=Parsnow |first=Luke |date=March 19, 2025 |title=Rep. Josh Riley introduces bipartisan bill to adjust rules for egg farmers in aim to lower prices |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/hudson-valley/politics/2025/03/19/rep--josh-riley-introduces-bipartisan-bill-aimed-to-lower-egg-prices |url-status= |work=Spectrum News}}

= Committee assignments =

For the 119th Congress:{{cite web |title=Josh Riley |url=https://clerk.house.gov/members/R000622 |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=Clerk of the United States House of Representatives}}

= Caucus memberships =

Riley's caucus memberships include:

Future Forum
New Democrat Coalition
Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition

Personal life

Riley lives in Ithaca, New York, with his wife, Monica Kohli, a strategy consultant. They married in Washington, D.C., in 2016 and have two sons.{{cite news |last=Grego |first=Patrick |date=October 25, 2022 |title=On the Trail with Josh Riley – The River |url=https://therivernewsroom.com/on-the-trail-with-josh-riley/ |access-date=November 19, 2022 |work=The River Hudson Valley Newsroom}}

Electoral history

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title=US House election, 2022: New York District 19{{cite web|title=2022 Democratic Primary|date=August 23, 2022|publisher=NY State Board of Elections|url=https://results.elections.ny.gov/contest/264}}{{cite web|title=2022 General|date=November 8, 2022|publisher=NY State Board of Elections|url=https://results.elections.ny.gov/contest/23}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Riley

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 31,193

| percentage = 62.61%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jamie Cheney

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 18,625

| percentage = 37.39%}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 49,818

| percentage = 100%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marc Molinaro

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 129,960

| percentage = 45.18%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Marc Molinaro

| party = Conservative Party of New York State

| votes = 16,044

| percentage = 5.58%}}

{{Election box winning candidate no change

| candidate = Marc Molinaro

| party = Total

| votes = 146,004

| percentage = 50.76%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Riley

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 124,396

| percentage = 43.25%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Riley

| party = Working Families Party

| votes = 17,113

| percentage = 5.95%}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| candidate = Josh Riley

| party = Total

| votes = 141,509

| percentage = 49.20%}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

| votes = 105

| percentage = 0.04%}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 287,618

| percentage = 100%}}

{{Election box gain with party link no change

| winner = Republican Party (United States)

| loser = Democratic Party (United States)}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=US House election, 2024: New York District 19{{cite web|title=2024 General|date=November 5, 2024|publisher=NY State Board of Elections|url=https://elections.ny.gov/certified-november-5-2024-general-election-results-approved-12092024}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Riley

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 170,049

| percentage = 45.06%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Josh Riley

| party = Working Families Party

| votes = 22,598

| percentage = 5.99%}}

{{Election box winning candidate no change

| candidate = Josh Riley