The race for New York’s 20th Congressional District briefly took the spotlight at Democrat Paul Tonko’s town hall Wednesday.
During the constituent Q&A portion of the town hall at Ballston Spa High School, Republican Ralph Ambrosio took the microphone. Ambrosio, a
Bethlehem resident who ran unsuccessfully for Albany County district attorney in 2024, is mounting a challenge in the Capital Region district currently represented by Tonko.
“You have voted for large subsidies and expenditures on green energy while restricting abundant and cheap fossil fuel sources, you voted against the recent tax cuts and bills that would have lowered energy costs like HR 1, the lower energy cost act. Do you bear some responsibility for the current affordability crisis we have,” Ambrosio said.
Tonko did not directly answer whether he thought he bears some responsibility for the “current affordability crisis” to which Ambrosio referred.
But here is some of Tonko’s answer.
“The dollars you are talking about were to underpin coal as a fossil fuel. Coal is outpriced in the market, it is the most expensive form of power and the president is underpinning it to make his buddies, who donated billions, he said give' me the billions and I’ll keep you flowing.' Coal is outpriced and it is polluting. That was part of the bill and I voted against it. You’re right,” Tonko said.
Speaking over the phone after the event, Ambrosio said he wasn’t satisfied with Tonko’s answer.
“It was a non-answer actually,” Ambrosio said.
The Republican candidate’s appearance at the town hall came the same day Ambrosio raised concern over Tonko’s office recently touting that it had secured some $14 million for several projects throughout the 20th District, even after Tonko voted against the federal appropriations bill that allowed for the $14 million.
Ambrosio contends Tonko should not be saying he “secured” the funding that was made possible by a bill he voted against.
"I would tell the people look, I didn't agree with the bill, I didn't agree with this, I didn't agree with that but I voted against this bill, that's all, that's all I would say and then I would say but in the bill when it was passed by the Republicans. We got these various grants for my constituency, I would just tell the truth. That's it," Ambrosio said.
When asked about his vote, Tonko said he made the decision because the bill allocates funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has faced increased scrutiny after two American citizens were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis last month.
“If the challenge is why did you vote against a bill that had the projects in it, for a very good reason, they bundled the bill for these projects with ICE funding and they don’t deserve another dime,” Tonko said.
As for what the congressman thought about his political opponent asking him a question at the town hall, Tonko said he didn’t realize it was Ambrosio.
“Oh I didn’t even recognize him. Which one was he?” Tonko said.
