Conley defeats Lawler in New York House race
The Democratic candidate won the NY-17 seat after a delay in counting ballots from Westchester County.
By Amina Howard ·
Democratic challenger Cait Conley defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in the New York 17th Congressional District race on Tuesday.
Lawler conceded the race after Conley built a lead of approximately 9 percent by 11 p.m. local time. Election officials were still processing up to 250,000 uncounted ballots from Westchester County when Lawler announced his defeat. These ballots were brought to county offices after polls closed at 9 p.m. earlier in the day.
Westchester County represents about 40 percent of the district's electorate. The area is a Democratic stronghold, while the other counties in the district lean Republican. The delayed counting process created uncertainty about the final margin of victory.
President Donald Trump intervened in the race on Tuesday afternoon to support Lawler. On his social media platform, Trump praised the Republican and called attention to the district's large Hasidic Jewish community. He wrote, "The eyes of the nation are on New York again." Pundits had previously described the contest as a virtual toss-up.
Lawler, 40, sought a third term after serving as a state assemblyman. He positioned himself as a moderate Republican during his time in Congress. He advocated for raising the cap on state and local tax deductions to $10,000 and supported Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. He also voiced opposition to the revocation of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants, a group with a strong presence in the district.
Conley, 40, campaigned on her blue-collar background and military service. She enlisted in the armed forces the day after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Lawler criticized her campaign, describing her as a lightweight and a carpetbagger who resides in Virginia. Conley argued that Lawler served as a fig leaf for the White House's right-wing agenda despite his moderate branding.
The outcome concludes a closely watched midterm contest. The result shifts the balance of power in the 17th District to the Democratic Party.
