Assemblyman Lawler Announces Run For Congress

TAPPAN, NY — New York State Assemblyman Mike Lawler (R,C-Pearl River) announced his campaign for Congress in New York's 17th Congressional District at a news conference Monday in Rockland County.

Lawler will take on sitting Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, a Cold Spring resident.

The announcement comes a few days after newly redrawn congressional district maps were released for New York by a court-appointed monitor. SEE: NY Congressional Redistricting Draft Maps Drop. The new districts:

The 17th, which used to cover part of Westchester and Rockland counties, now includes all of Putnam County (currently in the 18th) and reaches up into eastern Dutchess County (currently in the 19th).

Here's what the Congressional districts have looked like in the Hudson Valley for the past 10 years (not marked is District 16 which included southern Westchester and part of the Bronx):

Maloney announced he would run in his home district, now the 17th, after the 18th migrated north and west. The 17th had been represented for decades by Rep. Nita Lowey, who retired in 2019.

Lawler criticized Maloney as "head cheerleader for the failed Biden-Pelosi agenda."

Lawler said he thinks that taxes are too high, regulations are too burdensome and spending is out of control. He alleged that the state government is corrupt and spotlighted former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

"Two years ago, when I announced my candidacy for the State Assembly, I did so because I believed New York State was headed in the wrong direction," he said in a statement released after the news conference. "Our country is at a crossroads and it requires leadership.

"One party rule, group think, and a partisan, progressive agenda, have destroyed our country and divided our communities. We need to restore balance and common sense to Washington, D.C.

"Here’s the truth - this seat is winnable, the polling shows we’re ahead, and we will win it in November," he said. "And we’re gonna do it the same way I won the state Assembly seat – we’re going to go to every community and build a broad, bipartisan coalition of support that will overcome our enrollment disadvantage. We’re gonna raise the money needed to get our message out. And we’re gonna hammer home that message, day in, day out, until November 8th."