Two rivals in the pivotal race for New York’s 17th Congressional District are aggressively courting Jewish voters, each seeking to present themselves as a champion of Israel and a defender against antisemitism.
Rep. Mike Lawler, a two-term Republican incumbent, and Democratic challenger Cait Conley are neck and neck in polls, with both within the margin of error, in a race that could help determine which party controls the House in the last two years of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Continued Republican control of Congress would give Trump a more favorable setting for advancing his legislative agenda. A Democratic House majority would give the opposition control of House committees and their investigative powers.
NY-17 comprises Putnam and Rockland counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess counties. An estimated 19% of the district’s residents are Jewish, according to a 2024 study commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute.
Each candidate is trying to tie the other to polarizing figures in their respective parties. Lawler is asserting that Conley refuses to separate herself from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the increasingly progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Conley is accusing Lawler of being a rubber stamp for Trump’s legislative priorities.
Jewish voters emerge as key constituency in New York House race
For Conley to win, she’ll have to convince Jewish voters that not only is she a staunch Israel ally and determined to protect the Jewish community from antisemitism, but that she can distance herself from the left wing of the Democratic Party and the members of the Democratic Socialists of America, such as Mamdani and others who have been widely critical of Israel.
One reason is that most Orthodox Jews, a major constituency in Rockland County, identified as Republican or leaned Republican, according to a 2020 Pew Research national survey. Another is that a September poll by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 57% of Jewish voters believe antisemitism is increasing within the Democratic Party, despite about 70% of Jewish voters favoring Democrats. The same national poll found 60% believed antisemitism was increasing in the Republican Party.
When the two candidates squared off in a televised debate hosted by PIX11 on Wednesday night, Lawler brought up the New York City mayor’s statement on Oct. 7, which mourned those killed and abducted on the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks before accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and saying US tax dollars funded war crimes.
Lawler, noting that Conley repeatedly declined to condemn Mamdani in their previous debate, said the mayor issued “the most vile antisemitic statement on Oct. 7th, blaming Jews for their butchering on Oct. 7th.” Turning to Conley, Lawler asked, “Do you denounce Zohran Mamdani’s recent statement on Oct. 7th, which blamed Jews?”
“Yes, I do denounce Mamdani’s statement on October 7th, a day that we should be honoring and mourning the loss of life, the greatest loss of life to our Jewish community since the Holocaust,” she responded. “I condemn antisemitism from any party or anyone.”
Lawler, Conley clash over Mamdani, support for Israel
Both candidates spoke strongly in support of Israel. Debate moderator Dan Mannarino asked if US taxpayer money should still be used “to send offensive and defensive weapon funding to aid Israel.”
“Israel is our greatest ally in the world,” Lawler replied. “The fact is, they’re the only democracy in the Middle East.”
He then accused the Democratic Party of ambivalence toward Israel. “I am opposed to any effort by the Democrats and the DSA to defund the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel, and I will fight it tooth and nail,” he said.
Conley agreed with Lawler that the US should continue funding offensive and defensive weapons for Israel.
“I believe in Israel’s right to exist,” she said. “It is the only democracy in the Middle East. It is a strategic partner for American national security, and I believe America has a responsibility to help ensure the safety and security of the Israeli people.”
New York House candidates diverge over Netanyahu, Iran war
Even so, she sought to distinguish herself from Lawler by affirming her willingness to chastise the Israeli government when warranted. “I also will criticize the Netanyahu administration when I believe it is doing the wrong thing for Israel and America,” she said.
Conley said that although she supported the Trump administration’s military strikes on targeted locations associated with Iran’s nuclear weapons development program, she believes that the “feckless execution” of the war has drawn the country “into this reckless conflict without clear military objectives or an exit strategy.”
Lawler defended voting against congressional efforts to end the war, while trying to tie Conley to Iran’s ability to fund terrorism. He argued that while Conley served as director for counterterrorism on President Joe Biden’s National Security Council, the US “eased sanctions on the illicit oil trade between China and Iran, allowing them to accumulate hundreds of billions of dollars. That’s what funded Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis. That’s what financed the October 7th terrorist attack.”
Conley defended her record by noting that the head of ISIS was killed during her tenure. She also said that similar attacks on Iran have been on the table for both Democratic and Republican administrations for decades, but they were never carried out because those administrations determined such attacks would threaten national security.