By Dan Murphy
On Sept. 27, Westchester democrats rallied in Tarrytown to support Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, who is in the political fight of his life on November 8. Rep. Maloney, who is also the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, DCCC, is running against republican assemblyman Mike Lawler in the 17th congressional district, which includes mid-northern Westchester, Rockland, Putnam Counties and parts of Dutchess County.
Every prominent Westchester democrat attended, and lent their support to Maloney, including State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, County Executive George Latimer, State Senator Shelley Mayer, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, and others.
The most notable Westchester democrat that came out to support Maloney at the unity rally was his former opponent in the democratic primary for Congress in NY-17, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
“After primaries are over, this is exactly what we should expect. We all know that the majority in Congress runs through New York and we have to make sure that we re-elect Sean Patrick Maloney,” said Biaggi, who recently moved to Bedford and will no longer be a member of the State Senate at the end of the year.
The two other issues that were highlighted at the rally, and have been used by democrats supporting Maloney are tying Lawler to former President Donald Trump, by calling him ‘MAGA Mike’, and no highlight the issue of abortion by reminding voters of Maloney’s support for a woman’s right to choose and the republican party’s stance, and the recent US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade.
“There has never been a more important time to elect champions of reproductive choice,” said Biaggi.
Westchester Democratic Chair Suzanne Berger made it clear how important this Congressional race is. “If we don’t keep 17, we don’t keep the House.”
Democrats currently hold a narrow, five seat majority in the US House. Republicans are expected to take control of the House after the November elections, which usually happens in the mid term of the opposing party of the sitting President.
National political observers of the House elections this year give Maloney a narrow lead over Lawler. But others believe that if there is to be any type of a ‘Red Wave’ of republican support in Westchester, this congressional race will be the one election where it will happen.
