Peter Chatzky, the Candidate Both Parties Aren’t Sure About
By Dan Murphy
Westchester has had its share of wealthy candidates running for office. Republican Ted Dunn, who ran for County Executive, comes to mind. Dunn spent $3 million to run against Andy Spano in 1997, losing 57% to 40%.
Nearly 30 years later, the $3 million Dunn spent would be about $5 million today—the sum Peter Chatzky has discussed self-funding for his campaign.
Chatzky, a Briarcliff Manor Deputy Mayor who has vowed to donate $5 million to his campaign if he becomes the Democratic nominee to take on Congressman Mike Lawler in November, has used his checkbook to secure coverage in the 17th District of NY, which includes Westchester, and some national coverage.
For a candidate in a crowded democratic field of 7 democratic candidates, Chatzky’s pledge got him in front of the pack. What does he stand for? According to his website, https://chatzkyforcongress.com, Chatsky states
The System is Broken. We’re Not Waiting to Fix It. We’re up against a corrupted government, a politicized court, and a party trying to erase what makes America strong. We won’t sit back.
Take on Big Pharma to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege. Expand healthcare, childcare, eldercare – it’s for our future. Universal health insurance. Restore Medicaid, expand SNAP, and Universal Pre-K.
Clean Up Corruption, Restore Trust. Ban lawmakers from trading stocks. No blind trust loopholes. No excuses.
Supreme Court Reform—Now. The Supreme Court has gone rogue. Justices play politics with zero accountability. Set term or age limits—lifetime power was never the plan. Pass real anti-gerrymandering laws, national early voting, and paid time off to vote.
End the War on Our Neighborhoods. This country was built by immigrants—and we’re not going to let ICE terrorize our neighborhoods. No more raids on homes, schools, or churches. No more detention camps. Unmask federal agents. Create a real path to citizenship, now.
Last year, Chatsky called on NY Senator Schumer to step down from leadership during the government shutdown. “Millions of Americans have suffered during this government shutdown, and millions more will suffer if this continuing resolution passes. Reopening the Government hands a win to Republicans who had every means of funding SNAP, for example, at any time during the entirety of the shutdown,” Chatzky continued. “Those who voted to reopen the government without extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act are putting the interests of party insiders above those of their constituents. Senator Schumer has lost the ability to lead his peers, as well as the confidence of his constituents.”
Additionally, Chatzky already has ads running on YouTube that blame both parties’ leadership for today’s problems.
Chatzky’s campaign centers on challenging affordability issues and the traditional party structure, asserting that Democrats must lead with accountability and a renewed dedication to American democracy.
Chatzky has faced criticism from both Republicans, wary of his financial resources, and Democrats, who question whether he is the right candidate to challenge Lawler and represent the party’s future direction.
The democratic interest group WCLA-Choice Matters criticized Chatzky this week, expressing concern about an ad they viewed as stereotyping a fellow Democratic Primary challenger. They noted these portrayals can be similar to critiques often directed at women by Republican opponents.
WCLA-Choice Matters questioned Chatzky’s approach in an ad that referenced front runner Democratic Primary challenger Cait Conley, who has an extensive background including graduating from West Point in the top 2% of her class, earning master’s degrees from MIT and Harvard, 16 years as an active Army officer, six overseas deployments, three bronze stars, and serving as Director of Counterterrorism on the National Security Council.
WCLA-Choice Matters further stated that campaign ads reflect on a candidate’s character, values, and judgment. They questioned whether the use of humor towards an opponent in political advertising is appropriate within the primary context.
The group also noted that Chatzky did not express any direct criticisms of Cait Conley, and raised the question of the tone used in the primary campaign.
WCLA-Choice Matters urged all Democratic Primary candidates to focus on demonstrating their ability to defeat Republican Lawler and noted the importance of women across the United States having a strong pro-choice candidate in the NY 17 race. (end of statement from WCLA)
And The Daily Caller ran a hit-piece on Chatzky’s wife, Susan (https://dailycaller.com/2026/01/12/susan-peter-chatzky-facebook-posts-bible-trump-stupid/)
“Chatzky, a former board member of a local Planned Parenthood center, mocked the Bible and appeared to compare it to a popular children’s book series in a December 2021 post.
“I really, really, really, don’t care about your fucking stupid Bible,” Chatzky wrote on Facebook. “It’s a book. Should we live our lives according to Nancy Drew?”
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), House Republicans’ campaign arm, slammed Chatzky’s inflammatory comments in a statement.
NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole, in a statement, strongly disapproved of comments attributed to Chatzky and his wife, stating that she believes such rhetoric is inappropriate for a leader and raises concerns about Chatzky’s suitability to represent the Hudson Valley in Congress.
In October 2015, Susan Chatzky posted a graphic purportedly showing the number of mass shootings that year through September. In an exchange in the comments lamenting several shootings that day, she called for more drastic measures. “I hate to say this, but I think we need to deport white men in their 20’s. Or put them in internment camps,” Chatzky said. “I’ll really miss my sons.” Chatsky later backtracked on her statement.
Seven Democrats have announced their candidacies in NY-17 to challenge Lawler. They are: Cait Conley, an Army combat veteran and former national security official, and Rockland County legislator Beth Davidson. Tarrytown Village Trustee Effie Phillips-Staley recently received the endorsement of former Congressman Jamaal Bowman.
Other candidates include Jessica Reinmann of Chappaqua, Mike Sacks of Croton, and former FBI analyst John Sullivan.
Lawler’s district is one of three in the country that voted for Kamala Harris for President in 2024. Republicans hold a slim five-seat majority in the House.
Lawler’s campaign sent out a fundraising email. “An ally of Zohran Mamdani admitted he is prepared to spend at least $5 Million to defeat Mike Lawler and flip NY 17.”
We checked Chatzky’s financial disclosures, and so far, he has loaned his campaign $750,000.
Chatzky has held several ”Lawlerless Town Halls,” including one in Mt. Pleasant last month.
Chatzky’s campaign is forcing both parties to confront not just the influence of personal wealth but also the question of what kind of leadership the district—and the country—wants moving forward.
