By Fox News (Politics) | Created at 2026-06-24 02:28:40 | Updated at 2026-06-24 04:12:58
1 hour ago
Rep Mike Lawler: Democrats are ‘throwing away’ values that made America strong and free
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., criticizes what he calls growing anti-Israel sentiment in the Democratic Party, arguing it has left many Jewish Democrats feeling politically homeless. Lawler points to controversial Democratic candidates, including Graham Platner, who faced scrutiny over a Nazi-linked tattoo, and Adam Hamawy, who has drawn criticism over past ties to figures connected to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case. Lawler says Democrats are abandoning the values that made America strong and free.
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U.S. Army veteran Cait Conley emerged Tuesday from a crowded primary in New York's 17th Congressional District, setting up a high-stakes general election showdown against Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in a race expected to help determine control of the U.S. House.
Conley defeated four Democratic rivals to secure the nomination and will face Lawler in November.
Lawler, a two-term Republican and ally of President Donald Trump, has previously criticized Conley over her connection to the deadly U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which occurred during her tenure on former President Joe Biden's National Security Council.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., has sharply criticized Democratic challenger Cait Conley over her connection to the deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which overlapped with her service on former President Joe Biden's National Security Council. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images ; Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)
The Democratic primary drew a five-candidate field with varying political backgrounds and bases of support.
The leading contenders in fundraising, polling and endorsements ahead of Election Day were Conley and Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson.
A third candidate, Tarrytown Trustee Effie Phillips-Staley, positioned herself to the left of her rivals and built support among progressive groups and voters. Also on the ballot were attorney and former journalist Mike Sacks and Air Force veteran John Cappello.
BIDEN ALUM SEEKING MIKE LAWLER'S NY SWING SEAT RIPPED FOR TIES TO BOTCHED AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL
Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator, was among the leading Democratic contenders in New York's 17th Congressional District primary. (Peter Carr/The Journal News /USA Today/Imagn Images)
The 17th District in New York spans portions of four counties on both sides of the Hudson River and contains a politically diverse electorate.
The district stretches from affluent, semi-rural communities in northern Westchester County, home to former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; to denser, less affluent areas such as Spring Valley in Rockland County, which encompasses a diverse immigrant community.
The mix of deep-blue Democratic strongholds and reliably Republican enclaves has made the district one of the state's most unpredictable political battlegrounds — and one where Lawler has repeatedly defied expectations.
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Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., a two-term congressman and ally of President Donald Trump, is seeking reelection in New York's 17th Congressional District. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Lawler first flipped the district in 2022 and won re-election in 2024, establishing himself as one of the GOP's strongest performers in a swing district. Republicans have highlighted his bipartisan record and constituent-focused approach, while Democrats argue the district's political makeup gives them a strong opportunity to reclaim the seat.
Conley primary victory marks the beginning of what is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched House races of the 2026 midterm election cycle.
Amanda Macias covers the intersection of business, economics and politics, with a focus on how policy decisions shape markets, businesses and American workers.
