John,

I’m proud to announce that I’m running for Congress in New York’s 22nd District.

Will you help get our campaign off to a strong start by contributing today?

My great-grandfather came to the United States in the late 1800s, and like so many immigrants of his generation, he came to Upstate New York in search of opportunity.

And he found it.

The whole family got jobs in the Endicott-Johnson shoe factory. My great-great-grandpa was a dyer, my great-great grandma was a repairer, and their son, my great-grandpa, was a heel scourer and a tanner. Now, I’m not sure what all of those jobs entailed, and I cannot imagine it was a glamorous life -- but I know it was a good one.

My great-grandparents lived down the street from me when I was growing up, and they instilled in me an appreciation for the Square Deal--the simple promise that if you work hard and play by the rules and you’re decent to others, then you could earn a spot in the Middle Class. It’s not about what clothes you wear, what car you drive, how you pray, or how you vote--it’s about whether you work hard, and if you do, you get a fair shot.

By the time my generation came of age, the promise of a Square Deal was broken for too many families across Upstate New York. In high school, I delivered the local newspaper to my neighbors every morning, and it seemed like there were always headlines about the latest round of plant closings or layoffs. I’ll never forget my parents sitting at the kitchen table trying to plan for an uncertain future while the economy was declining around us. It’s a conversation that a lot of families have had around a lot of kitchen tables across Upstate New York over the years.

For too many working families, it often feels like the American Dream is slipping away. If you’re in the Middle Class, your place there might not feel so secure. And if you’re trying to get into the Middle Class, it can feel like it’s getting further away, not closer.

I’m running for Congress, as a new voice, because I believe we need to get past the dysfunction and the division in Washington and start working together to meet today’s challenges with the urgency and common purpose they deserve.

I’m not a politician, and I’ve never run for office before. But I’m doing it now because I believe the purpose of public service is to improve the lives of others, not enrich oneself, and Upstate New Yorkers deserve a representative who will work for them, not the special interests that line politicians’ pockets and fund their campaigns. I’m not accepting any corporate PAC money in this campaign, instead relying on grassroots supporters like you.

We’re facing big challenges, but also great opportunities--and I’m ready to deliver. But this campaign is not going to be easy, and we have a long road ahead. I’m asking you to join me in this fight by chipping in $5 or more today →  

I am proud of Upstate New York’s industrial past, and I’m optimistic about our future--but only if we work for it together, John.

With gratitude and high hopes,

Josh Riley