WASHINGTON -- Like a lot of other members of Congress, Rep. Marc Molinaro got his start running for a local office. But unlike most, he had to get his mother’s permission first.
Now 47 years old, the freshman from New York’s Hudson Valley won his first election at 18. His most recent election brought him to Washington alongside a handful of other Empire State Republicans who won districts that President Joe Biden carried in 2020. That surprisingly strong performance arguably won the GOP control of the House, and it definitely put a target on their backs heading into 2024.
Molinaro chatted with CQ Roll Call outside the House chamber earlier this year about deferring college, becoming village mayor and picking his battles in Congress. This interview has been edited and condensed.
