Rep. Mike Lawler, challenger Cait Conley slug it out on the issues during N.Y.-17 debate
One of the highest-profile races in the midterm election cycle is the battle for New York's 17th Congressional District between two-term Republican incumbent Mike Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley.
On Monday night, voters got a chance to hear from them directly in a debate hosted by News 12 Westchester.
The 17th, which compasses all of Rockland and Putnam counties, most of the northern part of Westchester County, and portions of southern Dutchess County, is considered a purple district and up for grabs. It has attracted a cascade of advertising dollars.
A major issue is affordability, including food prices, housing and taxes.
"We need to do a better job of actually delivering for people. And that means putting these problems in context and solving them with the urgency and aggressiveness that people deserve," Conley said.
"We delivered the largest tax cut in American history, putting more than $4,000 back in the pockets of hardworking Hudson Valley families. I fulfilled my promise to lift the cap on SALT from $10,000 to $40,000," Lawler said.
One major point of contention between the candidates was data centers.
"On Mike Lawler's watch, there have been five data centers built in Rockland County. Five, with three more on the way. And instead of fighting for greater regulation, Mike Lawler opposes a moratorium on data centers," Conley said.
"Um, you have a very difficult time with the truth. The data centers that were built were built before I was in Congress, number one. Number two, they have nothing to do with AI," Lawler said.
The parents of Sheridan Gorman, the 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago freshman from Yorktown, New York, who was shot and killed in March, allegedly by an undocumented immigrant, also questioned the candidates.
"She was shot in the back and murdered in cold blood while on the pier with her friends trying to see the northern lights," Jessica Gorman said.
They asked if each candidate supported the reversal of a New York law that they say ended agreements allowing local authorities to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"My heart absolutely breaks, and what happened to Sheridan is inexcusable. Government failed her, and for that we have to make sure that that doesn't happen again," Conley said.
"What you didn't hear from Cait was an answer to your question. She does support Kathy Hochul's new law, and she would not support federal legislation to end sanctuary policies," Lawler said.
The candidates also sparred over President Trump's job performance.
"Families are struggling because of the harm that he has done voting with Donald Trump and his agenda 100% of the time," Conley said of Lawler.
"No matter how many times you say 100% of the time, it's provably false," Lawler said.
