Former U.S. Representative Marc Molinaro announced his bid on Monday to return to New York state politics.
Molinaro briefly served as Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration after his appointment by President Donald Trump, stepping down in February. He’s now running for the 102nd State Assembly District – a move he describes as “coming home.”
“I made the deeply personal decision to step down from FTA and return to New York — to be closer to my family and to once again serve the communities that shaped me,” said Molinaro in an announcement on Substack.
Molinaro, a Republican, told Radio Catskill he’s hopeful that serving at the state level is where he can tackle problems closest to upstate New Yorkers.
“We can really build solutions – irrespective of parties – solutions to the high cost of property taxes and energy costs, confronting transportation challenges, and infrastructure investment, and trying to meet the needs of upstate communities that too often get overlooked by a state government that is very much instituting downstate policies,” said Molinaro.
The 102nd State Assembly District includes all of Greene and Schoharie counties, and parts of Delaware, Ulster, Albany, and Otsego counties.
He says he’s looking forward to working with like-minded elected officials who want to solve issues facing New Yorkers, including the high costs of property taxes, health insurance, and energy.
“[Residents] want balance. They want respect, and they want relief, and it’s what I want… it’s what I’ve fought for, again, across party lines,” said Molinaro.
As a Catskill resident, Molinaro said he’s felt a growing pull to be closer to home to be present for his family and community.
“But this decision is also about my neighbors in New York. Families are struggling with affordability. Too many people feel squeezed by rising costs and disconnected from a government that should be working for them,” said Molinaro. “New Yorkers deserve experienced, practical leadership focused on solutions.”
While some may see leaving a federal leadership role as a “step backward,” Molinaro describes it as a “comeback.”
Molinaro is running to replace Republican Assemblymember Christopher Tague, who has served in the State Assembly since 2018 and is now running for the 51st District State Senate seat.
Village of Catskill Trustee Thomas Boomhower, activist Mary Finneran, and Village of Delhi Trustee Janet Tweed have announced they are running on the Democratic ticket.
Molinaro says top of mind priorities include mandate relief for property taxes, holding electric companies accountable for high utility costs, and reevaluating the state’s climate policies. “That is driving up energy costs and allowing corporations to take advantage of ratepayers.”
He comes to his latest run for State Assembly with a long career in public office. Prior to briefly serving in the Trump administration, he served in the House of Representatives for New York’s 19th Congressional District from 2023 to 2025 for one term. He was narrowly defeated by Democratic Rep. Josh Riley in 2024.
Molinaro also served as Dutchess County Executive for more than a decade, along with holding the 103rd Assembly District seat from 2007 to 2011.
Image: Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)