My name is Alexander Matthew Portelli, and I’m writing to introduce myself and open a conversation with your committee. I live in Otsego County where I own and operate a 117-acre working farm, forestry site, and rural business hub built from the ground up. We raise sheep, process lumber, manufacture products, and are laying the foundation for a new model of off-grid living and enterprise. It’s profitable, growing, and proof that Upstate New York still holds enormous potential.
I’m seriously exploring a run for U.S. Congress in district NY-19—depending on if I can earn the trust of local Republican committees like yours. I spent the first 25 years of my life in District 20, and consider it my natural home, but I own land and property and currently contribute to the community of district 19, where I am registered Republican.
I’m not a politician. I’m a worker, a builder, and a fighter for New York’s future.
I was born and raised in Albany outside the South End, dropped out of school in the 9th grade to work full-time at 14, first at an Italian restaurant, then at a local deli, and eventually opened my first restaurant by 23. Since then, I’ve built multiple companies across industries—construction, hospitality, real estate, and tech. I’ve visited 49 countries and have seen firsthand what creates strong economies—and what destroys them.