NY-17 election goes down to the wire between Rep. Mike Lawler and Democrat Mondaire Jones
NEW YORK - This Election Day, New York voters are choosing between Rep. Mike Lawler and former Democrat Rep. Mondaire Jones for the U.S. House seat to represent New York's 17th congressional district.
JUMP TO: WHO IS MIKE LAWLER | WHO IS MONDAIRE JONES | CONTROVERSIES
The race for District 17, covering the Lower Hudson Valley, is one of the most closely watched elections this cycle, with the results having potential implications for who controls the House of Representatives next year.
NY-17 live election results
Meet the Candidates
Rep. Mike Lawler greets people outside his campaign tent at the Pearl River Street Fair on Oct. 19, 2024. Lawler is running for reelection in New York's 17th Congressional District against Democrat Mondaire Jones, who previously represented the distr
Mike Lawler (R) - Mike Lawler, who narrowly defeated former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in 2022, is seeking a second term. Lawler, a former assemblyman and experienced political consultant, has positioned himself as a moderate, with a record for bipartisanship. He has drawn both support and scrutiny for his ties to the GOP, walking a fine line in a district that voted for Joe Biden by a 10-point margin in 2020 but has shown increasing openness to Republican candidates.
Key issues Lawler emphasizes include:
- Fiscal Responsibility: Lawler supported a 2023 budget deal aiming to cap annual spending growth at 1%, projecting federal savings of $2.1 trillion over a decade.
- Child Tax Credit: He backs expanding eligibility for low-income families.
- Immigration Reform: His stance includes tighter border security, asylum process reform, and a legal path for undocumented immigrants without criminal records.
Mondaire Jones (D) - Mondaire Jones, a Harvard Law graduate and Spring Valley native, represented the district from 2021 to 2022 before redistricting led him to a failed primary run in NYC’s 10th district. Now, he’s back in the Hudson Valley, seeking to reclaim his former seat and reframe his campaign as a moderate voice after previously aligning with progressive stances.
When elected in 2020, he became one of the first two openly gay Black men to serve in the House.
Former U.S. Rep. Mondaire Jones gives a pep talk to volunteer canvassers on Oct. 20, 2024, at the Rockland County Democrats office in Nanuet. Jones is running against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler to retake his seat in New York's 17th Co
Jones’s campaign centers around:
- Economic Relief: He advocates raising the federal minimum wage, reducing costs for working families, and making childcare affordable.
- Social Issues: Jones opposes a national abortion ban, supports LGBTQ protections, and favors increased police funding, universal background checks for gun buyers, and an assault weapons ban.
Mondaire Jones on economy, housiing in NY-17 race
Mondaire Jones, running to represent New York’s 17th District, joins us to discuss the latest polling numbers that show him trailing his opponent, Republican Mike Lawler, by four points. With just five days until Election Day, Jones addresses top issues for voters, his stance on key policy matters, and his approach to winning over both progressive and moderate voters in this pivotal battleground race.
Campaign Controversies
Both candidates have faced controversies that added fuel to an already fiery campaign. Lawler recently apologized for a blackface incident in college, while Jones had to clarify comments interpreted as disparaging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Additionally, each candidate has portrayed the other as extreme in their political leanings. Jones has emphasized Lawler’s ties to Trump-aligned Republicans, while Lawler’s team has tried to paint Jones as a left-wing progressive, despite his recent shift toward pragmatism.
With polls indicating a close race, campaign funding has surged. Jones has raised over $6.4 million, nearly double Lawler’s campaign funds, while major outside groups like the Congressional Leadership Fund and House Majority PAC are heavily investing to sway voters.
The 17th District, historically Democrat-leaning, has shifted closer to a true swing district, with recent voter patterns suggesting that small margins could decide the outcome.