Mike Lawler Accused of Meddling in NY-17 Democratic Primary Amid Tight Re-election Race

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th District and also chairs the Rockland County Republican Party, has drawn criticism for interfering in the Democratic primary for his own seat. Over the past week, Lawler’s campaign allegedly sent misleading text messages to Democratic voters that appeared to come from Democratic sources, accusing one primary candidate’s team of trying to knock others off the ballot. When recipients replied 'help,' they received an automated message linking back to Lawler’s campaign email address. Lawler’s team declined to comment on the incident, but the episode underscores his aggressive tactics as he faces a tougher re-election fight — the Cook Political Report recently shifted his district from 'Leans Republican' to 'Toss-up.' Lawler’s campaign manager also filed objections to several Democratic candidates’ petitions, claiming fraudulent signatures, prompting backlash from Democrats who see the move as distraction and manipulation. L