New York — 20th District

Paul Tonko

Supports federal economic investments and labor

Tonko supports leveraging federal legislation to build out the economy and support workers struggling with costs. He backed major legislative packages like the American Rescue Plan Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.

• Voted for the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
• Voted for the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.
• Voted against the Republican Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023.

“After 4 years of Trump incompetence and ignorance of the COVID pandemic and favoring the already wealthy and well-connected, Joe Biden and Democrats have a big job ahead of us to not only build the nation back, but build it back STRONGER.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports tax cuts and deregulation

Ambrosio advocates for cutting taxes and reducing government regulations to lower living costs and stimulate economic growth. He positions economic relief through free-market policies rather than government spending programs.

• Proposes lowering living costs through tax cutting and deregulation.
• Aims to increase economic opportunity across Upstate New York by cutting administrative burdens.

“We have to tackle crushing costs and lack of opportunity through tax cutting and deregulation. This will lower costs and put more money back in your pocket.”

Paul Tonko

Supports clean energy and climate action

Tonko views climate change as a top global security threat and an opportunity for job creation. Drawing on his background as an engineer and former president of NYSERDA, he champions clean energy innovation and opposes expanding fossil fuel production.

• Serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
• Voted against the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1).
• Voted for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act climate provisions.

“Not only is fighting climate change our top global security threat as identified by the Pentagon, it will also bring stable and good paying jobs to the United States and the Capital Region.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports all-of-the-above energy production

Ambrosio argues that restrictions on energy production have inflated consumer costs and hindered economic development. He calls for an all-of-the-above strategy aimed at driving down prices through abundant energy supply.

• Proposes expanding energy production to increase supply and lower consumer utility costs.
• Opposes strict federal restrictions on traditional energy sources.

“Our foolish restrictions on energy sources has sent energy costs soaring and curbed economic growth. I'll push and all-of-the-above energy strategy that will produce abundant supply while driving down costs.”

Paul Tonko

Supports expanding voting access and integrity

Tonko advocates for protecting and expanding voting access, opposing Republican efforts to shorten early voting or add administrative requirements. He also supports federal ethics oversight to prevent corruption.

• Voted against the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register.
• Opposes state-level efforts to restrict mail-in and early voting access.

“We should all work to make it easier to legally vote, not harder. Yet, Republicans continue their all-out assault on voting rights, making it more difficult to vote with fewer early voting days, fewer polling places, reduced hours, hurdles to mail-in voting, and more.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports term limits and voter ID

Ambrosio campaigns on reforming government by challenging incumbent political figures, supporting congressional term limits, mandatory Voter ID laws, and eliminating administrative corruption.

• Endorses congressional term limits.
• Supports mandatory Voter ID requirements for federal elections.
• Calls for anti-corruption measures to reform government institutions.

“Offer a fresh perspective to challenge the status quo and better represent our home of upstate NY. This means support for term limits, Voter ID, parental rights in education, and rooting out corruption wherever it exists.”

Paul Tonko

Supports federal gun control measures

Tonko treats gun violence as a major public health crisis and supports stricter federal gun safety measures to curb violence in schools and public spaces.

• Advocates for federal gun violence prevention legislation.
• Highlights the high rate of firearm deaths in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries.

“More than 10,000 New Yorkers have lost their lives since 2008 due to gun violence, which has permeated our schools, neighborhoods and places of worship.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports gun rights and self-defense

Ambrosio includes defending the right to self-defense as part of his core public safety platform.

• Pledges to defend constitutional rights to self-defense.

“Ensure government fulfills its primary function of keeping citizens safe by supporting law enforcement, securing the nation, and defending the right to self-defense.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports permanent border security enforcement

Ambrosio makes border security a central pillar of his platform, framing it as a vital component of national security and public safety.

• Calls for permanently securing U.S. borders as a primary function of the federal government.
• Links border enforcement directly to public safety and crime prevention.

“Ensure government fulfills its primary function of keeping citizens safe by supporting law enforcement, securing the nation, and defending the right to self-defense.”

Paul Tonko

Supports federal reproductive rights

Tonko strongly supports protecting abortion access and reproductive healthcare. He actively opposes restrictions enacted following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and maintains the endorsement of Planned Parenthood.

• Endorsed by Planned Parenthood for his legislative record on women's healthcare.
• Advocates for federal protections for abortion access.

“After decades of attacks on a woman's right to choose, Republicans were finally successful in overturning Roe v. Wade, dealing a blow to reproductive rights across the nation.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports law enforcement and crime prevention

Leveraging his career as a former New York State Police officer and prosecutor, Ambrosio emphasizes backing law enforcement, effective policing, and protecting self-defense rights as vital to improving local quality of life.

• Draws on career as a New York State Trooper, prosecutor, and Assistant Attorney General.
• Advocates for increased support for law enforcement and proactive crime prevention.
• Explicitly defends citizens' rights to self-defense.

“By focusing on crime prevention and effective policing, we will see gains in public safety, our local economy, and overall quality of life.”

Paul Tonko

Supports organized labor and living wages

Tonko emphasizes organized labor and collective bargaining as the bedrock of the middle class, supporting federal policies that raise wages and expand worker training.

• Supports unionization rights and collective bargaining.
• Advocates for living wages and federal investments in workforce skill development.

“Our economy is only as strong as the American worker. That's why Paul is committed to labor rights including the right to collectively bargain and form a union.”

Paul Tonko

Supports expanding ACA and mental health funding

Tonko supports strengthening the Affordable Care Act and expanding federal resources for mental health treatment and opioid addiction recovery.

• Supports legislative reforms to improve and fix parts of the Affordable Care Act.
• Champions federal funding and awareness for mental health and substance use treatment.

“The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, is far from a perfect law. That is why we have to respond to challenges in our healthcare system and fix the parts of the ACA that don’t work while moving forward with the provisions that do.”

Ralph Ambrosio

Supports parental rights in education

Ambrosio lists parental rights in education as one of his core commitments to reform local governance and challenge administrative establishment practices.

• Explicitly advocates for parental rights within school systems.

“This means support for term limits, Voter ID, parental rights in education, and rooting out corruption wherever it exists.”