As Republicans in New York’s 19th Congressional District prepare to choose their nominee, State Senator Peter Oberacker is making a familiar argument: Washington does not understand rural New York.
Oberacker, who represents New York’s 51st Senate District, is running in the June 23 Republican primary against Alexander Portelli. The winner is expected to face Democratic Congressman Josh Riley in November. The race is being closely watched in a competitive district that stretches across a large part of Upstate New York.
In an interview with Radio Catskill, Oberacker said his campaign is rooted in both personal history and public service. He described growing up in a family business, where his father, a German immigrant, made sausage and other food products. His mother, he said, served as a local elected official for more than 30 years.
From his father, Oberacker said he learned that “the job doesn’t end when the clock says it does.” From his mother, he said he learned the importance of listening “to learn and not always to respond.”
Oberacker has served as a town supervisor, an Otsego County legislator, and a state senator. He said that background gives him a practical view of how decisions made in Albany or Washington affect local governments and rural communities.
A central theme of his campaign is what he calls “country sense.” Oberacker said rural residents face realities that are often overlooked by lawmakers from more densely populated areas.
He pointed to his own life as an example, saying he travels 18 miles one way to get groceries and that rural residents often have limited access to health care, transportation, and basic services. He said part of his role in Congress would be to “educate” Washington about those challenges.
Agriculture is another major focus. Oberacker said farmers are being squeezed by rising input costs, including fuel, fertilizer, utilities, and energy. He said one of his goals, if elected, would be to serve on the House Agriculture Committee and look for ways to reduce the pressure on farms.
He also criticized New York’s farm labor overtime rules, saying farming does not fit neatly into a 40-hour workweek and that overtime costs have added another burden for producers.
On affordability, Oberacker said utility costs are one area where government could act. He pointed to a “ratepayers bill of rights” he has worked on at the state level, saying it would bring more transparency and accountability to utility billing.
Among the ideas he discussed were protections against shutoffs during bad weather, access to live customer service representatives, clearer billing, actual meter readings instead of estimates, faster refunds when customers are owed credits, and outside checks of electric meters.
Rural health care was another issue raised in the interview. Oberacker said Congress needs to recognize that rural health care is different from urban health care because of transportation barriers, long distances, winter weather, and limited provider options.
He said one way to strengthen rural health care would be to make it easier to recruit doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals to rural communities, including possible help with student loans.
Broadband access also remains a concern across parts of the district. Oberacker said he personally struggled to get broadband at his home and described “last mile” connectivity as a real challenge for rural residents, farms, and small businesses.
He said the federal government should take the same kind of serious approach to broadband that the country once took to rural electrification. He also suggested there may be a role for assistance with satellite internet equipment in places where traditional broadband has not reached.
When asked how he would represent voters who disagree with him politically, Oberacker returned to the idea of listening. He said the district includes Democrats, Republicans, independents, rural voters, college communities, and small business owners, and that representation starts with hearing people out.
Oberacker said voters should support him over his Republican opponent because of his experience in local and state government, as well as his record working with rural communities. He closed the interview by pointing to family values, hard work, and what he called shared values as the foundation of his campaign.
The Republican primary is set for June 23. Early voting is expected to be underway before Election Day. Whoever wins the primary will move on to a November race against Riley, the Democratic incumbent.