[4] He graduated from the Rockefeller College of Politics at State University of New York at Albany;[3] while a student, he was an intern for State Assemblyman Robert Straniere and Congressman Guy Molinari as well as a summer intern for Molinari when he later served as Staten Island Borough president.
He also represented Staten Island on the Mayor's Health and Human Services Planning Council,[1] and was director of community relations from 1996 to 1997.
[6][8] Tobacco's first run for political office was in 1996 for Staten Island's Mid-Island Assembly seat held by Assemblyman Eric Vitaliano.
[10] He and fellow Staten Islander Nicole Malliotakis were the only Republicans in New York City's State Assembly delegation.
[11] He was tapped to serve as vice chair of the Assembly Minority Sex Offender Watch Task Force and was appointed to the MTA Capital Program Review Board.