Spectrum News 1

By Susan Arbetter

New York’s 17th Congressional District in the lower Hudson Valley race pits current 18th District incumbent Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney against first-term state Assemblyman Republican Michael Lawler, of Rockland County.

It’s Maloney’s race to lose: not only does he have the benefit of incumbency, he is the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, so he’s responsible for getting Democrats elected this cycle.

But Lawler is smart and has shown he is willing to work across the aisle, which will likely matter in a district that the Cook Political Report describes as “leans Democratic.”

While only a first-term assemblyman, Lawler has worked in politics for 14 years, starting out as a campaign worker for the late U.S. Sen. John McCain during his presidential bid, and then as the executive director of the New York state Republican Party. He also ran former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s campaign for governor in 2014.

“I’m a small business owner. I’ve served locally as a deputy town supervisor in the town of Orangetown before becoming assemblyman in 2020, flipping a 2-1 Democratic district, defeating a 14-year incumbent,” he said.

Lawler, who is married with an infant, told Capital Tonight that people are tired of one-party rule. That said, he has worked across the aisle during his tenure in the Legislature, ensuring passage of Alyssa’s Law.

“I have among the most bipartisan records in Albany,” he said. “People are looking for common sense and balance at every level of government and I think I offer that.”

Lawler cited record inflation, the cap on SALT, high gas prices, crime, the southern border, education and energy policy as issues that he’s hearing about on the campaign trail.

“When you’re paying $11 for a package of chicken cutlets or $7 for a box of cereal, it’s a problem,” Lawler stated.

When it was pointed out to him that the cap on SALT was implemented under former Republican President Donald Trump, he said his opponent, Sean Patrick Maloney, had “an obligation” to negotiate and ensure that the cap on SALT was removed from the final bill.

“He packed up his things and went home,” Lawler said of Maloney.

In August, Maloney strenuously objected to Lawler’s characterization, which the assemblyman has made in the past.

“It’s guys like me who have been fighting that tooth and nail,” he told the Examiner.“We’re going to get that done, with no thanks to Lawler, who supports the party that let that get away.”

When Lawler was asked what he would do to tackle crime in Congress, he cited the following statistics.

“Since cashless bail has been enacted, crime is up 36% in New York City,” he said.

To support this claim, Lawler sent Capital Tonight a Manhattan Institute study from July, which used NYPD comp stat numbers, which are typically higher than those released by DCJS.

Indeed, according to numbers released last week by DCJS, total index crimes in New York City have increased from 2020 to 2021 by 5.2%.

Violent crimes, a subset of index crimes, rose by 11.3% during the same time period.

Regarding rearrests, Assemblyman Lawler stated that “40% of those who have been released on non-monetary bail have been re-arrested for offenses while those charges were pending.”

Those statistics are backed up by the recent DCJS release of data.

As a member of Congress, Lawler told Capital Tonight that, if the state Legislature and the governor fail in their responsibilities to the residents of the state on crime, then Congress must act.

“There’s multiple bills before the House of Representatives, including Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis’ bill which would do what the federal government often does, and that’s control the purse strings and force New York to act,” Lawler explained. “You cannot continue to have a situation where violent repeat offenders are put back onto our streets and the government is failing to act.”

Another issue of importance to voters in the new NY-17 is congestion pricing. While both Lawler and Maloney are against the plan released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Lawler introduced a measure in Albany to repeal the enacting legislation.

“Unlike my opponent who just recently announced his opposition to congestion pricing, I’ve been opposed to congestion pricing from the start,” Lawler said.New York’s 17th Congressional District in the lower Hudson Valley race pits current 18th District incumbent Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney against first-term state Assemblyman Republican Michael Lawler, of Rockland County.

News 12

Scott McGee welcomes freshman Republican Assemblyman Mike Lawler, who is running to be the next congressman in New York’s newly drawn 17th District. It’s currently being held by freshman Rep. Mondaire Jones, but Lawler is running against Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney.

Lawler is the former executive director of the New York State Republican Party and also was an adviser to former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino. Before his election he was a deputy town supervisor in Orangetown.

The Legislative Gazette

By Christian Evanko

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, and his Republican challenger, Assemblyman Mike Lawler, R-Pearl River, have agreed to participate in the League of Women Voters’ debate for candidates running in the newly drawn 17th Congressional District.

The virtual debate is planned for Wednesday, October 12 at 7:00 p.m. 

Maloney is running this November on the issues of gun safety, infrastructure improvement and abortion rights. 

Lawler’s priority issues include public safety, secure borders and “age-appropriate” school curriculums.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Voters can learn more about the new congressional and state legislative districts, see their personalized ballots, find polling places and learn more about their elected officials at the League of Women Voters of  New York’s website.

WAMC

The road to the House majority might run through the Hudson Valley.

In today’s Congressional Corner, Republican New York state Assemblyman Mike Lawler, who is running in the state’s new 17th House district, wraps up his conversation with WAMC’s Alan Chartock.

Click here to listen

Recorded 9/19/22.

Fox News

New York congressional candidate Mike Lawler shares how he plans to defeat Democrat incumbent Rep. Sean Maloney in November.

NRCC

A new poll of NY-17 shows DCCC Chair Sean Patrick Maloney is losing to Republican Mike Lawler 49%-45%.

It turns out all the heat Maloney drew from his fellow Democrats after he bullied Mondaire Jones out of the district was well-deserved.

NRCC Comment: “Democrats should be panicking that their midterm fates lie with Sean Patrick Maloney, who will now have to siphon off DCCC resources to save himself. New Yorkers don’t like politicians who put criminals first.”  – NRCC Spokeswoman Samantha Bullock

New York Post

By Zach Williams

It was once unthinkable, but a path to Republican control of the House of Representatives could run through New York.

A new poll showing Republicans with the edge in the newly-drawn Congressional District 17 gives Democrats one more reason to worry how the GOP could capture the U.S. House this November by flipping swing districts across the Empire State in the midterm elections.

GOP Assemblyman Mike Lawler (R-Rockland) has a 49% to 45% lead over Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-Hudson Valley) ahead of the Nov. 8 election, according to data released Tuesday by the National Republican Congressional Committee.

The poll by the GOP firm McLaughlin & Associates, which had a margin of error of 4.5%, shows GOP attacks are endangering the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee head Maloney while he oversees his party’s national efforts to defend its eight-seat majority in the House this November.

“I will fight to cut taxes and spending to tackle inflation and end cashless bail to restore safety in our communities,” Lawler told The Post. “That’s what this election is about and the poll numbers bear it out.”

The race is among a half dozen races that appear to be competitive this year after the state’s highest court invalidated plans for a so-called “Hochulmander” that would have left the GOP with just a couple super-red seats.

“Democrats blew it by getting greedy with congressional lines in New York; now they’re paying the price with competitive races all across the state. That’s great news for voters who haven’t had a chance to vote in truly competitive elections for years,” Republican political consultant William O’Reilly said in a text.

Republicans are also aiming to flip the congressional seat of retiring Rep. Tom Suozzi on Long Island as well as District 18 and District 19 in the Hudson Valley – while defending three Long Island races, another on Staten Island and a seventh in the Syracuse area.

No other state has a critical mass of swing districts like New York, with the non-partisan FiveThirtyEight website rating three races (two in the Hudson Valley and in Syracuse) as toss-ups in New York – more than any other state.

“People from around the country looking to help win battleground districts are either going to discover what it’s like to be stuck on the Long Island Expressway or get to enjoy the fall foliage in the Hudson valley and upstate,” Democratic political consultant Evan Stavisky quipped.

FiveThirtyEight gives Lawler a 10% chance of beating Maloney, who recently reported having about $2.4 million to spend compared to $435,000 for Lawler, who is receiving help from the national party.

“Lawler is a radical MAGA Republican whose dangerous, out-of-touch positions are incompatible with this district; he supported the decision to overturn Roe, voted against bills to protect reproductive rights in New York, and opposes common-sense gun safety reforms,” Maloney spokeswoman Mia Ehrenberg said in response to what she called the “pathetically skewed” poll showing her boss down.

Stubborn inflation could boost Lawler in the homestretch of the campaign and in other races where Republicans are locked in a fierce fight with Democrats for control of the U.S. House.

Incumbent Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has a 93% chance of beating ex-Rep. Max Rose in a rematch of their 2020 race while GOP nominee Nicholas LoLota has a 69% chance of winning an open race for Congressional District 1 on Long Island, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Maloney remains the favorite to win reelection, according to the website, while Democratic nominees Laura Gillen and Robert Zimmerman have edges in open Long Island races against Republicans Anthony D’Esposito and George Santos.

The contests pitting newly-elected Rep. Pat Ryan (D-Hudson Valley) against Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R-Orange) and the open Syracuse race between Democrat Francis Conole and Republican Brandon Williams remain a toss-ups amid Democratic hopes that Ryan’s victory in a “bellwether” August special election might hint at more victories to come.

But an encouraging poll for Lawler has him and other Republicans bullish about winning back control of the U.S. House with the help of voters in supposedly super blue New York where Democrats like Maloney are supposed to feel safe.

“On Nov. 8, we will defeat Nancy Pelosi’s campaign manager and serve as a check on the Biden administration,” Lawler vowed Tuesday.

New York Post

By Carl Campanile, David Meyer and Zach Williams

Congestion pricing is becoming the GOP’s sharpest political tool against Democrats in key New York midterm races.

Republicans are trying to use the controversial plan to impose a big toll on motorists entering Midtown Manhattan against Dems in races for governor, state Legislature and even Congress.

Growing fights over toll exemptions have only added fuel to attacks.

“Instead of this Hunger Games-like battle over special exemptions from the new congestion pricing scam, the better solution is to just stop this Hochul Hike altogether,” GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin tweeted Aug. 28.

Drivers could face $9 to $23 in fees during peak hours to drive into parts of Manhattan by late 2023, according to the MTA’s preliminary congestion pricing plan.

Disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Democratic-run state Legislature approved tolling drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street in 2019 to curb congestion and raise an annual $1 billion to help finance mass transit.

The plan puts some commuters in a bind. Many motorists in the outer-boroughs and suburbs want improvements to subway and commuter rail lines but don’t want to pay the new toll — and are clamoring for exemptions or discounts.

Hochul, who was Cuomo’s hand-picked lieutenant governor in the administration when the tolling plan got the green light, backs it.

“I support congestion pricing, 100%,” Hochul said during a Democratic primary debate for governor in June.

Zeldin, her Republican rival for governor from Long Island, has seized on the issue with growing intensity.

“At a time when they need financial help the most, Kathy Hochul wants to turn the screws on struggling New Yorkers upward of another $34.50 a day,” Zeldin said in a Post Op-Ed column, citing record inflation as hurting already struggling New Yorkers.

“As if it wasn’t bad enough that this Hochul Hike would raise another $1 billion a year on the backs of hardworking New Yorkers, with no changes that would force the MTA to spend this taxpayer money more efficiently or effectively, the kicker is, historically, congestion pricing has failed spectacularly at its stated goals,” he added.

It costs the MTA far more per square mile to build a new subway track than anywhere in the world, reports reveal, blamed in part on lax union work rules. 

Zeldin has claimed congestion pricing has been a bust in London and critics worry diverting traffic away from Manhattan will just send it to poor, already traffic-choked areas of The Bronx and elsewhere.

The toll plan has also emerged as a major issue in state legislative races, particularly on Long Island, where Republican candidate Jack Martins faces off against Democratic incumbent Sen. Anna Kaplan in Nassau County’s 7th District.

“Congestion pricing will hurt middle class families here on Long Island. These are the men and women, police officers, firefighters, construction  office and service workers who will be forced to pay this tax, having had little say in how the program was enacted, designed and implemented,” said Martins, a former three-term state senator.

“It’s not only bad for their own family budgets, already stretched by inflation, but also damaging for our region’s economy and growth. These impacts must be recognized and addressed.”

Kaplan, who voted for congestion pricing as part of the state budget in 2019, defended her stance during a recent MTA hearing on the plan, calling the program one that “stands to be a huge win for our region — $1 billion invested annually in our mass transit and our subway.”

Kaplan also noted $100 million or 10% of the revenues will be earmarked for the Long Island Rail Road, and claimed the program will prevent fare hikes for LIRR commuters.

“When we set out to enact congestion pricing in 2019, we were trying to address chronic problems impacting — traffic and the lack of investment in our public transit.,” she said. “Unfortunately, the pandemic has only made these problems worse, straining finances at the MTA and putting new investment at the Long Island Rail Road at risk.”

She did say any carve-outs or exemptions should be done fairly by region.

Asked about Martins’ criticism of the plan, a Kaplan spokesman said, “Either Jack Martins doesn’t believe Long Islanders deserve new trains or he’d rather enact a real commuter tax by raising ticket prices for LIRR riders to pay for them.”

Congestion pricing also has become fodder in races for Congress.

Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and southern Brooklyn, recently held a press conference with New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer to denounce the plan.

“The fact that the City, State, and MTA are proposing a congestion tax to make up for lost revenue after they’ve received billions in federal assistance and opportunities to apply for matching grants through the federal infrastructure bill is absurd and goes to show how mismanaged the authority is,” Malliotakis said.

“Go after toll evaders, turnstile jumpers, and make New York City’s transit safe so more residents and tourists ride, but stop treating New Yorkers and American taxpayers like ATMs. The MTA is a notorious blackhole and the Inspector General should audit every federal dollar the MTA has received. Enough is enough.”

GOP candidate Michael Lawler, a member of the state Assembly who’s running against Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in Hudson Valley’s 17th Congressional District, also is beating the drum against the toll.

“A congestion pricing tax will divert truck traffic into areas with some of the highest asthma rates in the country,” Lawler said in an Aug. 25 statement.

Revealing how politically fraught the issue is, even some Democratic candidates are distancing themselves and outright opposing the Midtown toll plan approved by fellow Democrats.

While Lawler has attacked Maloney on the issue, the incumbent Dem told The Post on Sunday he too opposes the current plan.

“I strongly oppose any congestion pricing proposal that would unfairly penalize commuters from the Hudson Valley who play a vital role in our state’s economy,” he said. 

Max Rose, the former Democratic congressman in a rematch against Malliotakis in the 11th Congressional District, also slammed the plan as cooked up by “idiotic bureaucrats.” Malliotakis defeated him in 2020.

“Congestion pricing masquerades as a climate initiative but it is actually a thinly veiled effort designed by idiotic bureaucrats to generate revenue on the backs of outer borough residents who have no access to public transit. The state must do everything in its power to stop it in its tracks,” said Rose.

Transit advocates said the tolling plan will become popular following implementation, despite the doomsday statements from “pandering politicians.”

“Everywhere it’s been implemented, congestion pricing has been less popular before it starts than afterwards. The fact that we’ve had an exceptionally long and windy road to implementation means it’s no surprise that pandering politicians of all stripes have come out against the one policy that will fix the subway, speed emergency response times, and make it easier to breathe in New York,” said Riders Alliance spokesman Danny Pearlstein.

“Jack Martins spent years fighting against a third track to relieve train congestion and end car traffic backups at grade crossings on Long Island. He left office and the project got built. That was in his own neighborhood, so it’s not surprising he doesn’t care about congestion and air quality in Manhattan either.”

Times Herald-Record

By John Meore

Assemblyman Mike Lawler on why he feels the GOP will flip the house to a Republican majority.

News 12

By Diane Caruso

Rockland officials are upset after the MTA released its new details on its long fought over congestion pricing plan on Wednesday.

“It is a terrible idea and nothing more than a tax on suburban residents,” said state Assembly Member Mike Lawler.

Lawler, who’s running for Congress this year, introduced legislation in 2021 to repeal the plan and urged more local state lawmakers to sign on. He argued the MTA needs to do more for riders in Rockland and to create a one-seat ride.

“With the funds, there has been no commitment to increase investment in Rockland County,” he added. “So why should Rockland residents, who already have a value gap, pay more and get less?”

New details say congestion pricing could cost motorists $9 to $23 to enter below 60th Street in Manhattan depending on which plan is chosen. The Traffic Mobility Review Board, which would decide the costs and exemptions, does not have a Rockland representative.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day wants there to be no charge or a discount for residents, many of whom he says work in the city as first responders.