Here is this week's WGXC Congressional Report, tracking the votes, statements, positions, and campaigns of the representatives and candidates for the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st Congressional seats in New York. Current Democrat Rep. Paul Tonko, from the 20th District, votes with the positions of President Joe Biden 100 percent of the time, according to the fivethirtyeight.com website. Republican Elise Stefanik, currently representing the 21st District, votes with Biden's positions 19.3 percent of the time. Democrat Pat Ryan just began representing the 19th District, and has yet to be included in the rankings. Click here to listen to this report.

Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics Democratic congressional candidate Josh Riley holds a 5 point advantage over Republican Marc Molinaro in the 19th Congressional District race, according to a Spectrum News/Siena College poll released October 6. The poll found Riley with 46 percent of the vote compared to Molinaro's 41 percent, within a 5 percentage-point margin of error of a survey of 470 likely district voters from September 25 to 28. The congressional seat includes parts of the Hudson Valley, Southern Tier and Central New York and is among a handful of House districts in New York that could determine control of the chamber in the November midterm elections. The poll showed Riley with more support from independent voters than Molinaro, 46 to 40 percent. A majority of voters have no opinion of or do not know enough about Riley, a first-time candidate. According to the poll, a majority of voters in the district hold an unfavorable view of President Joe Biden and Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat is in a close race against Republican candidate Lee Zeldin. The majority of voters in the district do not like the direction the country is heading. The cost of living and inflation concerns were cited by 52 percent of survey respondents as the top issue in the race, followed by threats to democracy at 31 percent and abortion at 28 percent. “We’re encouraged by today’s poll results, but taking nothing for granted,” said Riley Campaign Manager Coby Eiss. “... Voters are ready for a change from professional politicians like Marc Molinaro, and Josh is running to bring new leadership that puts people over profits.” Molinaro's campaign manager Will Dawson, however, declined to say much other than the campaign was focused on Election Day not polls. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.

Mid-Hudson News reports that Democratic congressional candidate Josh Riley claims his campaign raised more than $1.6 million in the third quarter and has more than $1 million cash-on-hand for the final weeks of the election. Voting begins Oct. 29 and ends Nov. 8 this year, with new Congressional districts because of redistricting. Riley is running in the new 19th Congressional District against Republican Marc Molinaro, who has yet to announce his recent fundraising totals. “We are proving that a people-powered campaign can beat one bankrolled by corporate PACs and special interests,” said Riley. A recent Siena Poll, conducted between September 25 and 28, showed Riley with a five-point lead over Molinaro, but within the polls margin of error. "The margin of error here is so immensely large that it's plainly silly to use this (or any similar poll) to suggest someone 'leads' or 'trails' five plus weeks before an election, especially when you factor in the number of undecided voters too," WSKG reporter Vaughn Golden wrote on Twitter about the poll. The poll did give Riley a 52-to-44 percent lead, outside of the poll's margin of error, in Greene, Columbia, and Ulster Counties. Molinaro is from Dutchess County, which is not in the new 19th Congressional District. Riley lives in Broome County, in Central New York, which was added to the district in redistricting. Read more about this story at Mid-Hudson News.

Tyler A. McNeil reports in The Daily Gazette that Rep. Paul Tonko has declined to participate in another debate this election cycle. Tonko will not agree to a debate hosted by The Daily Gazette Oct. 19 in Schenectady. Liz Joy, Tonko's Republican opponent, has said she would participate in this event, and at least two other debates. But Tonko has only agreed to one, with public television station WMHT on Oct. 27. “Congressman Tonko looks forward to the debate he has already accepted on Oct. 27 to further demonstrate to voters his record on growing the Capital Region economy, fighting for reproductive rights and repairing democracy after his opponent organized a bus trip to the Jan. 6 insurrection,” said Tonko campaign spokesperson Sean Magers. Joy, meanwhile, criticized Tonko for ducking so many debates. “It’s disgraceful that a career politician since 1976, Paul Tonko, refuses to accommodate the request of The Daily Gazette,” Joy said. In 2020, when also running against Joy, Tonko would only agree to one debate. The 20th Congressional District election begins Oct. 29 and now includes Rensselaer County. Read the full story in The Daily Gazette.