Candidates: In Their Words, Peter K. Oberacker and Josh Riley

AllOtsego’s 2026 pre-election coverage continues with a series of questions posed to Congressional District 19 candidates Peter K. Oberacker (REP, CON) and Josh Riley (DEM, WOR). We did not hear back from Riley by press time. We received and posted his response on Monday, November 2.

1: Families across the district are struggling with electricity bills, groceries, housing and fuel costs. What three specific federal actions would you take to reduce these expenses, how much relief should households realistically expect, and by when?

OBERACKER:
First, I will introduce my Utility Ratepayer Bill of Rights on day one in Congress. I’m the only candidate in this race who has offered a comprehensive plan to finally rein in the utility companies and deal with energy’s role in the growing affordability crisis. Among other things, this legislation would ban household energy taxes for at least a year, require regular bills in plain English instead of industry jargon, and protect customers when utilities attempt to shut their power off during heatwaves and cold snaps.

Second, I would take congressional action further and ban premarket purchases of homes by large financial institutions and institutional investors such as hedge funds. This would provide first-time buyers with a level playing field and an expanded housing supply.

Third, the geopolitical factors behind the high costs of everything from gas to home-heating oil to jet fuel are obvious and unavoidable. Here’s how we change the status quo and take partisan politics out of it: The War Powers Act must be amended to include a trigger mechanism for Congress to vote on continuing military activity abroad if the price of a barrel of oil rises above $100.00.

As I continue to travel the district—even with a bad knee and balancing on my crutches—Upstate New Yorkers routinely tell me how fed up they are with Albany and Washington. Our residents need real economic relief they can feel, not more excuses from incompetent leaders who confuse process with actual results. I’m a successful former businessman who grew up in this community and brought jobs back to our region.

As a member of the Senate minority, I’ve worked with my colleagues across the aisle, passing the second-highest number of bipartisan bills of any Republican senator. I’ve delivered common-sense solutions for our residents without compromising my most deeply held principles, and I’ve got the experience and record to start delivering change on day one as your next congressman.

RILEY:
I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Endicott, where I watched my family sit down at the kitchen table every week to balance the budget—the mortgage on our E-J house, the utility bill, the school clothes we put on layaway at K-Mart, maybe a little left over for a Binghamton Whalers game. I saw how much harder those conversations got as the factories were closing down and our community’s jobs were being shipped overseas.

Today, when I meet with folks across Upstate New York, I don’t ask about their political party or how they voted; I ask about the conversations they’re having at the kitchen table. Too many families feel like they’re drowning because of high housing costs and grocery costs—and then the utility bill hits the kitchen table and it feels like an anchor pulling them under.

Here are just a few examples of the work I’m doing to lower housing costs, utility costs and grocery costs: 

Housing 
I worked across the aisle to help pass the bipartisan “Road to Housing Act,” which will cut red tape to invest in more single-family homes that families can afford.  The Road to Housing Act includes my proposals to invest more in rural communities and industrial towns like Oneonta. I’m especially proud of my work to make funding available to bring old factory buildings back to life by converting them into new housing.

I’ve also heard from young couples who are unable to achieve their dream of buying a home and starting a family because they’re too often priced out of the market by institutional investors. I introduced the bipartisan “Families First Housing Act” to ban Wall Street from gobbling up single-family houses—because those houses should be for families to make homes, not for corporations to make profits. A version of my bill was recently enacted into law as part of the Road to Housing Act.

Utilities
My opponent cashed corporate PAC checks from the utility monopolies, voted repeatedly to help them raise rates and now his “plan” to lower utility bills is just a wish list from the utility monopolies to double down on a failed status quo.  

I don’t take corporate PAC money, and I’ve fought the utility monopolies so hard that NYSEG has threatened to sue me if I don’t back down, which I won’t do until they stop shipping Upstate New Yorkers’ money to their foreign parent corporations. I have a two-part strategy to fight high utility bills.  

First, the system for setting rates has been rigged to favor the utility monopolies at the expense of Upstate New Yorkers, so I’m fighting to change it.  My “Keep the Lights Local Act” would ban foreign corporations from owning American utilities; my “No Bonuses for Utility Executives Act” says utility executives should be rewarded based on how affordable the bills are, not how profitable the utility is; my bipartisan “No Tax on Utility Bills Act” would provide an immediate refund of the taxes that get tacked onto your utility bill every month; and my “Lowering Utility Bills Act” would completely overhaul the way rates are set, which now is designed to drive profits to corporations instead of drive savings to customers.

Second, while I’m working to overhaul a rigged system, I’m also using every tool available to fight within it. I’m the first member of Congress to intervene in a rate case to fight against the rate hikes, and I even took my own party’s Public Service Commission to court to try to reverse recent rate hikes.

Groceries 
I have opposed President Trump’s reckless war in Iran, which has resulted in a massive spike in fertilizer and diesel prices, which, in turn, are driving up grocery prices. (My opponent recently told WBNG that he supports the war, has no plan to end it and simply has “faith in our leaders” to deal with it.)

While pushing for an end to the war in Iran, I have also proposed a gas tax holiday, and I support restrictions on diesel exports so that fuel can be used to lower prices here at home, and I support additional financial support for small family farms who are unfairly being asked to bear the brunt of the war’s costs.

I’ve also worked across the aisle to lower grocery costs at the check-out line.  My bipartisan “Lower Egg Prices Act” cuts red tape that drives up egg prices at the grocery store, and I have supported funding for law enforcement to crack down on price gouging and antitrust violations by Big Ag monopolies like Conagra.

1a: What federal legislation would you support to deliver immediate relief, and how would your approach differ from your opponent’s?

OBERACKER:
My opponent voted to keep the federal government shut down for a record 43 days, snarling traffic at airports for ordinary travelers and withholding pay from veterans and military families because he was too afraid to stand up to the most radical elements of his own party. I think that was wrong.

With respect to inflation and the rising cost of living, my opponent’s mantra since he took office has been “don’t just do something, stand there.” It’s an exceedingly rare sight to find Josh Riley on the campaign trail, let alone in his district office. I know this because Rep. Riley backed out of the one and only debate he agreed to. In contrast, I’ve clocked tens of thousands of miles traveling our district and listening to voter concerns on everything from dwindling farmland to NYSEG billing practices. I’m ready to take what I’ve learned and immediately apply these experiences toward crafting effective legislative solutions at the federal level.

Upstate New Yorkers are getting squeezed at the gas pump. We drive long distances to shop, visit the doctor, access childcare and many other everyday tasks. I regularly drive 18 miles one way to buy groceries. I would introduce or support an immediate freeze on the federal gas tax, including the diesel tax, for all Americans, as well as a managed release of inventories from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to increase supply. By temporarily suspending this excise tax on suppliers, consumers, and especially frequent drivers like those found Upstate, would capture a larger share of the savings.

RILEY:
Here are three examples of measurable results I’ve achieved during my first two years in Congress:

• I’ve brought over $10 million home for local projects to improve infrastructure, public safety and access to healthcare in our communities. That includes $1M for Bassett to purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment, $1.1M to open a new nursing school in Johnson City to address workforce shortages in the healthcare industry, $1M to open a new medical facility in Sullivan County focused on women’s health, $650K to overhaul the primary care facility at Margaretville Regional Hospital, over $1M to open a new fire station in West Athens, over $1M to open a new fire station in Guilford, nearly $1M to rehabilitate the police station in East Greenbush, $500K to revitalize the North Side in Endicott, over $1M to upgrade water infrastructure in Marathon, and over $1M to upgrade water in Bloomingburg.  I also led the bipartisan effort in the House to provide additional funding for bulletproof vests for law enforcement and investments for our small and mid-sized manufacturing businesses.
• I’ve sponsored dozens of bills that have passed the House, many of which have become law. That includes my “Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act,” which allows schools to serve nutritious local whole milk—a win for our kids and our dairy farmers. After hearing from so many folks in our community about the alarming rise in tick-borne illnesses, I helped pass the “Kay Hagan Tick Act” to increase funding for research, prevention and treatment. And my “Vietnam Veterans Liver Cancer Act” will provide additional funding, support, and treatment for veterans who put their life on the line for our country but are still battling illness and disability from their service.
• I’ve fought to make sure Upstate farmers have the support they deserve. When the Trump Administration cancelled conservation payments that were due to Upstate farmers, I fought back and got that funding released. I also worked across the aisle to secure a disaster declaration when our Upstate apple growers lost crops during this spring’s freeze. 

2: How will you ensure that rural communities in the 19th District can afford housing, access healthcare, maintain reliable broadband and transportation, and sustain family farms and small businesses? Please identify your top two priorities, how you would fund them, and what you would do if your own party opposed your proposals.

OBERACKER:
Access to healthcare in our rural communities remains a major issue. Although I would have supported the Rural Health Transformation Fund that passed Congress, more should be done to ensure that healthcare delivery works where it’s needed most. One initiative I’ve supported to fill that resource gap has been school-based healthcare, a bipartisan program I voted to pass in the Senate that permanently avoids the red tape of Albany’s managed-care design and serves our students with comprehensive primary care services for physical and mental healthcare in their own community. I would fight to increase New York’s federal share of the fund’s cooperative agreement and direct these additional funds to school-based clinics.

The most effective way to save our Upstate farms and protect farming for future generations is to lower the soaring input costs these farms have to pay to continue their operations. For instance, I would support immediately removing trade-related duties on certain imported fertilizers and fertilizer components. This is a no-brainer for the farmers I speak with, including family members, who struggle to keep up with the rising price of phosphate fertilizer thanks to disruptions in the global supply chain.

RILEY:
I stood up to my own political party as the only Democrat in New York State to vote for the Farm Bill because I know how important it is to Upstate farmers—even if the Big City politicians don’t get it. Dozens of my bipartisan amendments were included in the Farm Bill, including:

• The “Local Farmers Feeding Communities Act,” which allows Upstate farmers to provide fresh, local food directly to our schools.
• My bipartisan legislation to lower farmers’ irrigation costs and support Upstate manufacturing jobs.
• My bipartisan legislation to make sure Upstate yogurt is available under the SNAP program so every family, no matter their circumstances, has access to the same great Upstate dairy products my family eats each day.
• My bipartisan legislation to stop China and other adversaries from buying Upstate farmland.
• My bipartisan legislation to make sure dairy farmers get fair prices for their milk.
• My bipartisan legislation to provide a safety net for Upstate apple growers who too often lose crops during frosts and storms.
• My bipartisan legislation to help Upstate apiaries compete on a level playing field by updating labeling requirements.
• My bipartisan legislation to cut red tape for small Upstate organic farmers so they can spend more time doing the work they love and less time dealing with paperwork.
• My bipartisan “Future Farmers Act” to give new and younger farmers access to the finances they need to start and grow.
• My bipartisan legislation to provide loan repayment assistance for the next generation of veterinarians to work in Upstate New York.
• My bipartisan legislation to strengthen rural co-ops, which allow more money to stay in our community instead of going toward corporate profits.
• My bipartisan “Tractor Safety Act,” which allows Otsego-based non-profits to retrofit tractors with roll bar protection, saving lives and family farms.  

2a: How would your experience in state and local government translate into federal action, particularly when federal funding or legislation requires bipartisan support?

OBERACKER:
My time in business taught me that you can accomplish much more by working together than toiling away in private. From building roads to funding our libraries to delivering better rural healthcare, I’ve worked with anyone who can collaborate on a positive outcome for the folks I represent. As a result, I tallied the second-highest number of bipartisan measures of any Republican in the state Senate, without compromising my principles or voting for a budget that increased taxes on hardworking families. I’ll continue that as your representative in Congress.

RILEY:

• SBHCs
• LIHEAP

3: What concrete steps would you take to prevent special interests from influencing your decisions, increase transparency in government and work across party lines? Name one issue on which you would be willing to oppose your own party, and explain how voters could hold you accountable for that commitment.

OBERACKER:
As the second-most bipartisan member of the Senate minority, I’ve worked with colleagues across the aisle to introduce and pass legislation our constituents’ needs. For instance, during the 2025-26 Senate session alone, I introduced 69 bills and passed 63 cosponsored measures through the Senate. By contrast, my opponent’s tally was just 21 bills introduced and 24 cosponsored initiatives passed.

I’ve been consistently in favor of local control and consistently opposed to overweening mandates against the interests of our Upstate towns and villages my entire career. I’ll apply these lessons serving you in Washington just as they’ve guided me serving you the last six years as state senator in Albany. If the administration were to issue an executive order tomorrow mandating the building of data centers in places that didn’t want them, I would oppose it. Local control of decision-making not only yields better results, it builds trust in the local institutions charged with delivering services and preserving the tax base for the people who live here.

RILEY:
If we’re going to be serious about lowering costs in the economy, we need to be serious about ending corruption in politics. That is why I have introduced the “Drain the Swamp Act,” the most aggressive anti-corruption legislation ever offered in the House. Here are a few highlights from that bill:  

• I am one of the few Members of Congress who refuses corporate PAC money, and my Drain the Swamp Act would ban it for everyone—because policy should be based on who it helps, not who pays the most.
• My Drain the Swamp Act would require term limits for politicians—because we need a new generation of leadership and Congress should not be a taxpayer-funded retirement community.
• My Drain the Swamp Act would ban politicians from holding or trading stock in office—because public service should be about serving our community, not lining your own pockets.

My record shows that I will work with anyone, from any party, who wants to do right by Upstate New York, and I will fight against anyone, from any party, who doesn’t. I broke with my own party as the only Democrat in New York to vote for the Farm Bill, which I helped write because I know how important it is to Upstate farmers—even if the Big City politicians don’t get it. I have also fought against my own party when it comes to protecting Upstate farmland, lowering utility costs and supporting law enforcement.  

And as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, I have shown that I am more interested in getting stuff done than scoring political points. Almost every bill I have introduced or sponsored has support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The contrast with my opponent could not be more clear. He accepted corporate PAC checks from the utility monopolies then voted repeatedly to help them raise rates, and he has refused to disclose his personal finances despite federal ethics laws requiring that he do so. He even voted against putting limits on the amount of outside income that Albany politicians could receive.   

And my opponent has shown himself to be a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. He has supported the president’s reckless war in Iran and the president’s devastating cuts to rural healthcare, and he has been unwilling or unable to stand up to the president.  

3a: If your position conflicts with your party’s leadership, how will you demonstrate that you are representing the district rather than simply following your party?

OBERACKER:
Upstate New Yorkers deserve a representative who will actually show up, listen and then take action. My public service has been grounded in this common-sense approach, beginning with my time as a town councilmember up to my tenure serving you as state senator.

The people of the 19th District can always count on me to maximally represent their interests—including telling the president when I disagree with him, and why. I’ve already done so publicly on the implementation of the administration’s tariff regime, and I’m ready to do it again if Washington politics get in the way of practical results for Upstate families and businesses.

RILEY:
Upstate New Yorkers work hard and have each other’s backs, and we deserve a representative who does the same. That’s what I’ve done every day in this job, and I’d be honored to continue that work with this community that I love.