Mike Lawler
Rep. Mike Lawler official photo, 118th Congress.jpg
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 17th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2023 (2023-01-03)
Preceded byMondaire Jones
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 97th district
In office
January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022
Preceded byEllen Jaffee
Succeeded byJohn W. McGowan
Personal details
Born
Michael Vincent Lawler

(1986-09-09) September 9, 1986 (age 36)
Suffern, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDoina
Children1
Residence(s)Pearl River, New York, U.S.
EducationManhattan College (BS)
WebsiteHouse website

Michael Vincent Lawler (born September 9, 1986) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 17th congressional district since 2023. From 2021 to 2022, he was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly from the 97th district in Rockland County.

Early life and education

A native of Rockland County, Lawler graduated from Suffern High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from Manhattan College.[1] Lawler was named valedictorian of his graduating class.[2]

Career

Lawler is a partner at the political communications firm Checkmate Strategies. He previously worked in the Westchester County Executive's Office as an advisor to Rob Astorino and executive director of the New York State Republican Party. Before winning his election, he served as deputy town supervisor of Orangetown, New York, working with Teresa Kenny, town supervisor.

Lawler was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 for a two-year term.[3][4][5] He ran against incumbent Ellen Jaffee and won the general election.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2022

Main article: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New York § District 17

Lawler was the Republican nominee in the 2022 general election in New York's 17th congressional district, having won the August 2022 primary. He defeated Democratic incumbent and DCCC chair Sean Patrick Maloney in the November general election.[6][7][8]

Committee assignments

Tenure

On January 4, 2023, Lawler reserved judgment on his colleague George Santos after numerous discrepancies in Santos's resume came to light. Lawler said on CNN, "His election has been certified so he will be seated in this Congress, but ultimately, obviously, we will see what the investigations come back with."[9] On January 12, 2023, he called for Santos to resign.[10]

Lawler voted for Kevin McCarthy in the 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election. McCarthy was unable to win the speakership on the first 14 ballots. Lawler said of the matter, "It's time for everybody to unify. It's time for everybody to move forward because the reality is the American people didn't elect us to fight over rules."[11]

On January 9, Lawler voted in favor of the House rules package.[12] Afterward, he gave his first House speech, in favor of a bill that would defund the IRS of the money allocated in the Inflation Reduction Act.[13]

On January 19, Lawler and Representative Josh Gottheimer reintroduced the Anti-Congestion Tax Act, a bill to stop the MTA's attempt to institute congestion pricing. Lawler said, "For too long, Hudson Valley commuters have gotten the short end of the stick. With reduced service, no one-seat ride for Rockland County residents, and subways that have become increasingly dangerous, it's no wonder that ridership is down as more folks commute into the city by car or by telecommuting. Which is why congestion pricing, a ludicrous tax grab by the country's most mismanaged authority, should be stopped dead in its tracks."[14]

Lawler voted to remove Ilhan Omar from the Committee on Foreign Affairs.[15]

Political positions

Abortion

Lawler opposes abortion rights except in cases of rape or incest or if the mother's life is at risk. He also opposes a federal ban on abortion.[16]

Personal life

Lawler lives in Pearl River with his Romanian-born wife, Doina. They have a daughter who was born in the spring of 2022.[17][18]

Lawler is Roman Catholic.[19]

Electoral history

New York State Assembly District 97, General Election 2020[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Michael Lawler 26,527 46.27 +17.91
Conservative Michael Lawler 2,697 4.70
Independence Michael Lawler 315 0.55
SAM Michael Lawler 397 0.69
Total Michael Lawler 29,936 52.22
Democratic Ellen Jaffee 27,359 47.72 -17.9
Total Ellen Jaffee (incumbent) 27,359 47.72
Write-in 35 0.06
Total votes 57,330 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic Swing +35.81
New York's 17th congressional district election, 2022[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sean Patrick Maloney 130,999 45.69%
Working Families Sean Patrick Maloney 8,083 2.82%
Total Sean Patrick Maloney (Incumbent) 139,082 48.51%
Republican Mike Lawler 124,148 43.30%
Conservative Mike Lawler 17,573 6.13%
Total Mike Lawler 141,721 49.43%
Total votes 286,688 100%

References

  1. ^ "Mike Lawler - Assembly District 97 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. ^ Michael Lawler Commencement Speech. Michael Lawler. January 24, 2020. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ Lieberman, Steve. "Elections Update: Reichlin-Melnick wins Senate seat over Weber; Lawler unseats Jaffee". The Journal News. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  4. ^ i_beebe (December 7, 2020). "A new Republican in a Democratic world". City & State NY. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  5. ^ Rocklandreport (November 28, 2020). "Mike Lawler Declared Winner in 97th Assembly District, Jaffee Concedes". Rockland Report. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  6. ^ Gronewold, Anna (August 23, 2022). "Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney routs progressive challenger in heated New York primary". POLITICO. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  7. ^ McKinley, Jesse; Fandos, Nicholas (November 9, 2022). "Sean Patrick Maloney Concedes to Mike Lawler in Major Loss for Democrats". New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Mutnick, Ally; Ferris, Sarah; Gronewold, Anna (November 9, 2022). "DCCC chair Maloney concedes defeat in New York". Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. ^ Gans, Jared (January 3, 2023). "Incoming Republican rep: Santos a distraction to GOP". The Hill. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  10. ^ "Lawler, Molinaro call on Santos to resign; Stefanik still silent". January 12, 2023.
  11. ^ Staff, News12. "'It's a sad day for the American people." Rep. Lawler frustrated by lack of votes for McCarthy as House speaker". News12 New Jersey. News12 New Jersey. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Roll Call 23 | Bill Number: H. Res. 5". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Lawler, Mike [@RepMikeLawler] (January 10, 2023). "Tonight, I delivered my first floor speech, supporting the Family & Small Business Protection Act, which will repeal the 87,000 new IRS agents. We need to make New York and our country more affordable and shouldn't use the IRS to target hardworking taxpayers. #CommitmentToAmerica t.co/sAp6k3kUWq" (Tweet). Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "Congressman Lawler Introduces Bill With Congressman Gottheimer to Stop Congestion Pricing Dead in Its Tracks". lawler.house.gov. Representative Mike Lawler. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  15. ^ "Roll Call 105 | Bill Number: H. Res. 76". clerk.house.gov. House Clerk. February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  16. ^ Lawler, Michael V. "Mike Lawler: On abortion, I will always advocate for life | Opinion". The Journal News. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  17. ^ "Mike Lawler for Congress". Mike Lawler for Congress.
  18. ^ "NY Republican House contender Mike Lawler rips 'vile' pro-abortion protest targeting his wife". July 2, 2022.
  19. ^ https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/12/PF_2023.01.03_congress_LIST.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  20. ^ "2020 General Election Official Results" (PDF). Rockland County Board of Elections.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference generalresults was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

External links

New York State Assembly Preceded byEllen Jaffee Member of the New York State Assemblyfrom the 97th district 2021–2022 Succeeded byJohn W. McGowan U.S. House of Representatives Preceded byMondaire Jones Member of the U.S. House of Representativesfrom New York's 17th congressional district 2023–present Incumbent U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) Preceded byNick Langworthy United States representatives by seniority 403rd Succeeded byLaurel Lee


New York's current delegation to the United States Congress
Current members of the United States House of Representatives
New York's delegation(s) to the 118th–present United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)
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