Four years ago, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan finished second in the Democratic primary in New York’s 19th Congressional district. Now, he is finally heading to Washington.
Ryan defeated Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro in Tuesday’s special election to fill the remainder of now-Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado’s term. In an electoral oddity in this unusual cycle, the pair both won party primaries in different districts for November’s general election.
But first Ryan has four months in the House of Representatives at the start of what he hopes will be a longer run.
He spoke with WAMC's Ian Pickus on Friday.
Do you know when you'll be sworn in?
I think they're still figuring out the schedule. This is all highly unusual, but it looks like first or second week of September, is what I've been told.
So how are you getting ready during that inter-office period?
Well, first off, making sure that I ramp down and hand off a smooth transition as county executive, which is, of course, really, really important to me and the people of Ulster County. So we're working on that. And then most important, looking forward, is to get out to every single corner of the New York 19th to be continuing to listen, to engage. So I'll be doing a districtwide tour in the next days and weeks to make sure that I'm grounded in just always showing up, listening, and then delivering where we can, especially economic relief, at the moment that we're at.
It occurs to me to ask, there is ongoing discussion and meetings are happening about your replacement as Ulster County Executive. Do you plan to endorse in that field?
I'm focused on just making sure we hand off a smooth transition. We let the voters decide in this great democracy of ours. And that's how I'll think about that race. And most important, once I’m sworn in, delivering for the constituents of New York 19, which I’m still sort of processing the weight and the gravity of that responsibility. But I'm so humbled and so honored.
So let's go now to Tuesday night. This was a special election that got a lot of national attention, because it was one of the first elections since a lot of developments in Washington over the summer. How confident were you that you would win?
We knew it was gonna be very, very close down to the wire. So I felt a lot of momentum, we felt a lot of momentum building around the campaign in the last few weeks, volunteer numbers were through the roof and grassroots financial support from across the district in the state and the country, actually. We couldn't keep yard signs in stock, which is always a good sign. And so all the indicators were encouraging. But this is a, you know, a very toss-up district to use a pundit term. And so we just didn't quite know how it would go, but I'm so proud that the community stepped up. And I think this is a real moment for our country where our democracy is under threat, where fundamental rights and freedoms are being taken away and challenged and on the line. And so to see our community step up in the way they did, and send a clear, strong message about that is really powerful. And I'm so proud.
Why do you think you did win this race?
I think we gave something for people to stand for, to believe in, to fight for. I mean, I was consistently reminding folks that when fundamental rights and freedoms are being taken away, this is not what our country is about. This is not what our country stands for. And I think even transcending political party, we saw patriots in our district stand up and say, we are going to remind everyone watching what we what we believe in, what we stand for, which is choice, which is freedom, which is safety. And so, yeah: very, very cool.
The Molinaro campaign says that he called you after Tuesday's results came in very, very late Tuesday, that you two had a conversation when he later conceded the race. What can you tell us about that conversation?
Yeah, it was a very long night for everybody. And Marc and I spoke the next day. We had a great conversation. We've worked well together as county executives and really delivered for our communities and helped each other. You know, it was a campaign where we both had a lot of passion and fire and didn't agree on every issue. But I'm confident that we'll continue to work together in our current roles as county executives, future roles, whatever they may be. And I have no doubt that Marc will continue to do everything he can for this community. That's definitely what he's about.
There's a decent chance you'll both be in the next Congress, representing next door districts. So you've got to sort of stay on each other's radar, don't you?
Yes, and more importantly, we both have to we both have sons about the same age, both named Theo. So we're always comparing, you know, notes about whatever shows they're watching, and the latest toys and you know, all that kind of stuff, too. So we've got the dad bond as well.
So what do you set as your top priorities during the next few months when you'll be in Washington?
Well, again, first, and most important for me is being in the district, showing up really hearing what specific challenges and problems and worries people have, and then bringing that voice and amplifying that voice down in Washington. There are critical national priorities, making sure as I've been clear about from the beginning, that we do stand up and protect abortion rights and reproductive freedom in every way that we can, is certainly going to be a top priority for me. At the local level, there's so much that we have to deliver. I'm very focused on the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and making sure that those federal funds get on the ground here in water and sewer projects and broadband projects, and providing desperately needed investment and relief, given the economic pressure people are feeling. I've called for, I imposed, I should say, or passed, a 50% cut in our county’s gas tax, which has really provided relief at the pump, and want to see what we can do in a similar way at the federal level to provide relief at gas pumps, at grocery stores in housing and health care costs. So those were really the some of the big focus areas.
One of the key issues, and you raised it a moment ago, that you ran on was access to reproductive health care and abortion rights. Specifically, what do you intend to do in Congress on that issue?
Well, we have to codify the protections afforded to tens, hundreds of millions of Americans under Roe, the same framework that has served our country or had served our country for over 50 years that was decided, and largely agreed upon by 75-plus percent of the American people. So when the Supreme Court ripped that away, clearly, from Kansas to our race here in New York, that is not what people wanted to see. And so we need to put back in place those fundamental rights and freedoms, ultimately, for a woman and a person to make their own choice to have that freedom and to not have a government telling them what to do in such a such a critical and personal decision.
Do you agree with some of the pundits who say that this was a national bellwether race?
I try to stay out of the pundit business, you know. I mean, I can tell you what I felt on the ground, which is that I do think that the political ground is shifting here. And I think probably in other parts of the country as I talked to other friends across the country. We've seen so much talk of there were blue waves, and then there were now there's talk of red waves. And I mean, what I hear from people is, we need something like a red, white and blue wave of patriots, like people who want to focus on shared American values, like choice and safety and freedom. And I just think people are looking for an opportunity to be unified after so much division. And so people that speak to that, that gives some cause for hope and optimism at a really divided time. That's leadership to me, and that is what is really, really lacking right now and in many aspects of our politics.
Well, you were also a primary candidate on election night, and it didn't take long after your victory for you to be labeled a far-left Democrat who is going to carry water for Speaker Nancy Pelosi. For people who are just now getting to know you or hear your name and might be represented by you either in the next four months or in the next congressional term, what's your message to them? What do you want them to know about how you look at all this stuff?
I mean, I'm a person who believes actions speak louder than words. There's so much talk, but it's about what do you deliver? How do you help people? How do you tangibly affect people's lives? The very first day I showed up at West Point as a cadet, they taught us there were three acceptable answers to any question. Yes, sir or ma'am? No, sir or ma'am. And no excuse, sir or ma'am. And there's just so many excuses right now, as people are really, really struggling and worried about freedoms and rights being taken away. So my approach is no excuses, I have to be accountable, show up at to hear and listen, and really take that in, and then be accountable for what I deliver and don't. And that's always how I've operated from combat to running my own business to being county executive. And so I'm very aware that I have to prove that and earn that trust, by delivering and by showing up and listening. So all the other labels and all the other stuff, I think, is just meant to divide and distract. And, you know, my opponent in the special election, unfortunately, did try to do some of that. And clearly it didn't work.
Do you commit to doing regular town halls as you're a member of Congress?
Absolutely. That is critical. My first month as county executive, I held 20 town halls in 20 weeks in all 20 towns of our county. We're going to be doing a similar thing in every corner of the new 19. And that is core to the job. I mean, it's representative and to represent, you have to show up. So we'll be announcing this in the next probably day or two, maybe three, as we get our schedule set, but we'll be touring and visiting across the 19th. And that's the fun part of the job. I'm so excited to continue to be on the ground all across the district and just engaging with folks.
You mentioned showing up at West Point. It occurs to me to ask, do you support the president's move to forgive $10,000 in student loan debt, or up to $20,000 for people who received Pell Grants?
I do. I mean, we need to provide relief at every level of government and as many ways as we can. That's one of the biggest things I heard across the district on the campaign trail is just economic pressure people are feeling and you think about the fact that 40 million-plus Americans with this announcement have a literal weight lifted off their shoulders, some of whom have had it for decades of debt still. I mean, I just turned 40, a lot of my friends still have college debt. That is that is just ridiculous. And the opportunity to relieve that weight and allow people to just have less pressure right now is huge. And it's an investment. I always think back to my grandfather's generation, the World War II generation, who were lifted up when they came home from serving with the GI Bill, and that powered the American economy for decades after. That really built the middle class. And so we have an opportunity to do that again here. And I think that's very powerful and important.
And what's your response to critics who say this is a giveaway for people who are, you know, generally doing fine, and a lot of people paid their loans, they didn't get any help doing that, and other people never went to college, so this is a benefit they're missing.
I mean, I hear the frustration that everybody's feeling pain right now. Everybody's feeling pressure in all these different ways. But I think what we have to remember is, again, a shared American value of community and taking care of each other. When you see someone in need, if there's an opportunity to help them, we help each other especially at the time of such pressure. And, you know, I mean, it's a somewhat different analogy, but it's sort of like, you know, we develop a life-saving vaccine for some horrible disease. And we're finally able to give this to people and save lives. And it would be like saying, Well, previous generations didn't get that vaccine, and they might have died from this horrible disease. So we shouldn't share that vaccine with now that we have it with people. I mean, it's just, it's a very, I think, sort of cynical, and somewhat selfish way to think about an opportunity to help people.
OK, last thing. Governor Hochul was on the station the other day, and she was talking about winning her special election to Congress, and then she ended up staying with Carolyn Maloney in Washington, who had a spare room. Where are you going to live?
I have no idea, Ian. Yeah, I've slept about maybe a total of six hours in the last however many days it's been so we're figuring all the logistics out. But I've slept on lots of sandy grounds in all kinds of places and corners of the world. So where I sleep will be the least on my list of things to figure out.
