The Republican kicked off his campaign with a new campaign ad and a trio of rallies across the sprawling district, which spans parts of the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, Capital Region and the Catskills. Speaking in front of a crowd of supporters in Monticello, Oberacker says he knows how the sausage gets made, literally and figuratively.
“There really are two things you should never see being made: laws and sausage. And I do know both,” he adds.
The Cook Political Report considers the 19th District to be one of the more competitive seats in next year’s midterms. Its latest report puts the district as “leaning Democrat,” but Incumbent Josh Riley won the seat against Republican Marc Molinaro by less than 4,000 votes in 2024. The National Republican Campaign Committee is targeting the 19th District as a New York seat it wants to flip next year.
Joining Oberacker in Monticello Monday was Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican from the 17th District to the south.
"[The 19th District] was one of the closest races last November," said Lawler. "And having a candidate of Pete's caliber is critical if we are going to win it back."
In a statement, a spokesperson for Riley’s campaign described Oberacker as a “corporate executive for a Big Ag monopoly that put small family farms out of business,” adding: “We’ll gladly compare his record with Josh’s next November.”
Oberacker was first elected to the New York State Senate in 2020, and previously served as an Otsego County legislator and supervisor of the Town of Maryland. His career in the private sector has been in the food industry, where he built a successful business as a research chef and food scientist helping businesses formulate new products.
In the state Senate, Oberacker is a ranking member on the committees for transportation and alcoholism and substance use disorders. He’s also a member of the Senate labor, finance, higher education and agriculture committees. On Monday, Oberacker touted his support for bringing whole milk into New York schools, and his opposition to the state’s ban on gas stoves.
He also expressed his dedication to local farms and the agricultural industry.
“Here’s something that Mr. Riley and his extreme liberal D.C. cronies don’t understand: wearing flannel does not make you a farmer," said Oberacker, to chuckles from the crowd. "And throwing on a Carhartt won’t change who you are.”
Oberacker describes Riley as a “rubber stamp to the extreme left.” On Monday, he dismissed the incumbent for voting against the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
“He voted against the American worker when he voted to keep taxing your tips, taxing your overtime and taxing your social security," said Oberacker. "And he voted against the historic tax cuts for the middle class.”
Republicans have touted the “no tax on tips” provision of the Big Beautiful Bill and its lift of a cap on state and local tax deductions (SALT) in New York. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law over the summer. Democrats have decried the overall legislation, saying it cuts federal spending on Medicaid and other social programs to extend tax cuts benefitting corporations and the wealthy.
Oberacker also paints Riley as a stranger to voters of the 19th District, especially Republicans.
“He’s gonna tell you he voted with you once or twice. But make no mistake: party bosses led him," said Oberacker. "They fear losing this seat, and it’s all just a smokescreen to fool you into thinking that he is one of us.”
Riley’s campaign says he was born in the Southern Tier, grew up in Endicott, New York, and currently lives in Ithaca, New York — all places in the 19th District. While Oberacker says he grew up in Schenevus, New York, and calls it his hometown, his campaign has gotten scrutiny from publications like Politico for marketing him as “upstate New York born and raised.” Multiple sources and biographies of Oberacker online, including his Wikipedia page, say he was born on Long Island.
Regardless, Oberacker pledged his support to voters in the Monticello Monday, even those across the aisle.
“Because soil is our common ground," Oberacker concluded. "And together, rooted in that same soil, we can build a strong New York and a stronger America.”
