Westchester Democrats Endorse Mondaire Jones; Gereghty Still Running
House Speaker Johnson Coming to Westchester to Support Congressman Mike Lawler
Rep. Mike Lawler
former Rep. Mondaire Jones
Liz Gereghty
By Dan Murphy
The 2024 Congressional elections will determine if republicans can hold their 6-seat majority, in the House of Representatives, (soon to become 5 after the expulsion of Rep. George Santos). In New York State, republicans picked up congressional seats in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.
So, the outcome of whether current republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson remains in power next year, of whether democrat Congressman Hakeem Jeffries gets the gavel, will likely come down to NY, and could come down to Westchester’s 17th District, and the reelection efforts of Congressman Mike Lawler.
New York’s 17th Congressional District includes northern Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties, and a small part of Dutchess County.
Lawler was elected in 2022 by 1900 votes, defeating Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. Due to redistricting, Maloney “relocated” from the 18th district to the 17th, losing to Lawler.
Maloney’s decision (endorsed by then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) forced Congressman Mondaire Jones to not run for reelection in the 17th. Rep. Jones ran in a NYC district and lost the democratic primary two years ago.
Now Jones is back to take on Lawler, in an interesting contest between a current and former Congressman. Both Jones and Lawler live in Rockland County.
Jones has already raised $500,000 and recently got the endorsement from the Westchester Democratic Party. “The Westchester County Democratic Committee is proud to join the Rockland County Democratic Committee in endorsing Congressman Mondaire Jones. As a Member of Congress, Mondaire brought hundreds of millions of dollars to the 17th District for schools, housing, health care, and infrastructure, as well as transformative community projects. He effectively advocated on behalf of everyday people in his district by lowering prescription drug costs, funding law enforcement at record levels, passing the most significant gun safety legislation in a generation, and negotiating passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Mike Lawler has accomplished nothing positive for the 17th District, and in fact has made life worse. While masquerading as a moderate on television, he recently voted to make MAGA extremist Mike Johnson Speaker of the House, and he has voted against abortion without exception for rape or incest. We need Mondaire back in Congress, where he has a pragmatic record of delivering results, and we look forward to working alongside him as he builds a people-powered campaign to save our democracy, keep us safe, lower costs, and protect basic freedoms,” said Westchester County Democratic Committee Chair Suzanne Berger.
But Jones will have at least one democratic opponent next year. Liz Whitmer Gereghty, a small businesswoman and former School Board trustee in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district, is running an active campaign. In a recent NY Times interview, Gereghty said that she was not getting out of the race to endorse Jones.
Gereghty has portrayed herself as moderate democrat, in the mold of her sister, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In the times interview she inferred that Jones’ more progressive views would be used by the Lawler campaign as negative ads. “If you got tired of the Sean Maloney ads last year, we’ll at least have some more variety if he’s the candidate,” said Gereghty.
The Jones campaign notes that only Jones has received Neither of Jones’ Democratic primary opponents have announced any in-district endorsers whatsoever. A third announced candidate is Bedford Councilwoman MaryAnn Carr. Former Speaker Pelosi has endorsed Jones.
Gereghty received the endorsement from Emily’s List, the powerful abortion rights group, and from Congressman Eric Swalwell.
“The House majority runs through New York’s 17th Congressional District. This is a Biden seat, and Democrats outnumber Republicans. If you want to flip the House, then join me, because we must flip this district first. I am a mother, former school board member, and the Democrat running to defeat MAGA Mike Lawler and flip #NY17. This district is a toss-up, and I need your help to flip this district, and the House, blue. This district was decided by less than 1,900 votes in 2022,” said Gereghty.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson will attend a fund raiser for Lawler in Bronxville next week. Democrats will try to use the fundraiser to tie Lawler to the conservative right wing of the republican party. But Speaker Johnson’s appearance is also an indication of how important this House seat is.
One unknown in the Congressional races for 2024 in New York State is what the boundaries of each district will be. In 2022, NY Democrats had their proposed congressional district maps struck down by the NYS Court of Appeals, resulting in a special master drawing a revised map that enabled republicans to win 11 seats.
Democrats are attempting to have the redistricting process reopened in time for the 2024 elections. The Independent Redistricting Commission, IRC, was created to make the redistricting process independent from the legislature in favor of an equally bipartisan body.
The IRC is made up equally of republicans and democrats. Recently, the IRC has been unable to agree on new boundaries, which is the reason for the special master, litigation, and republican congressional wins.
Democrats are asking the court to allow the IRC another chance to fairly redraw the lines. The Chair of the IRC is Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins. If the court grants the request, then Jenkins and the IRC will have a chance to try and redraw the congressional lines in Westchester, and districts 16 and 17.
Congressman Jamaal Bowman represents the Westchester residents in the 16th District, (most of mid-lower Westchester). County Executive George Latimer is considering a primary challenge against Bowman.
