Mike Lawler
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 member of the New York State Assembly from the 97th district in Rockland County. Lawler is a Republican.
Mike Lawler | |
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![]() Official portrait, 2023 | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 17th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Mondaire Jones |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 97th district | |
In office January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022 | |
Preceded by | Ellen Jaffee |
Succeeded by | John W. McGowan |
Personal details | |
Born | Michael Vincent Lawler September 9, 1986 Suffern, New York, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Doina |
Children | 1 |
Residence(s) | Pearl River, New York, U.S. |
Education | Manhattan College (BS) |
Website | House website |
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 in 2009.[1] Lawler was named valedictorian of his graduating class.[2]
Career
Lawler was a partner at the political communications firm Checkmate Strategies from 2018 until 2022. 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.
Lawler was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 for a two-year term, defeating Democratic incumbent Ellen Jaffee.[3][4][5]
U.S. House of Representatives
2022
Lawler was the Republican nominee in the 2022 general election in New York's 17th congressional district, having won the August 2022 primary. He narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent and DCCC chair Sean Patrick Maloney in the November general election in a major upset.[6][7][8]
Tenure
On January 4, 2023, Lawler called Representative George Santos's conduct "embarrassing and unbecoming" and "certainly a distraction".[9] On January 12, 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 was one of five Republicans to vote against the Parents' Bill of Rights in March 2023, and the only Republican not part of the Freedom Caucus to vote against it.[15] He co-sponsored the bill, but decided not to vote for it after he said an unspecified amendment "went too far".[16]
On June 21, Lawler voted with 212 other House Republicans in favor of the censure of Rep. Adam Schiff.[17]
Along with Claudia Tenney, Lawler introduced a bill to prohibit Washington, D.C. from adopting ranked-choice voting.[18]
Caucus memberships
Committee assignments
Political positions
Personal life
Lawler lives in Pearl River with his wife, Doina, and their daughter.[21]
Lawler is Roman Catholic.[22]
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mike Lawler | 26,527 | 46.27 | +17.91 | |
Conservative | Mike Lawler | 2,697 | 4.70 | ||
Independence | Mike Lawler | 315 | 0.55 | ||
SAM | Mike Lawler | 397 | 0.69 | ||
Total | Mike 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 | |||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Mike Lawler | 11,603 | 75.8 | |
Republican | William Faulkner | 1,772 | 11.6 | |
Republican | Charles Falciglia | 1,310 | 8.6 | |
Republican | Shoshana David | 444 | 2.9 | |
Republican | Jack Schrepel | 176 | 1.1 | |
Total votes | 15,305 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Sean Patrick Maloney | 130,999 | 45.6 | |
Working Families | Sean Patrick Maloney | 8,083 | 2.8 | |
Total | Sean Patrick Maloney (Incumbent) | 139,082 | 48.5 | |
Republican | Mike Lawler | 124,148 | 43.3 | |
Conservative | Mike Lawler | 17,573 | 6.1 | |
Total | Mike Lawler | 141,721 | 49.4 | |
Write-in | 5,885 | 2.0 | ||
Total votes | 286,688 | 100.0 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
References
- "Mike Lawler - Assembly District 97 |Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". nyassembly.gov. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- Michael Lawler Commencement Speech. Michael Lawler. January 24, 2020. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via YouTube.
- Lieberman, Steve. "Elections Update: Reichlin-Melnick wins Senate seat over Weber; Lawler unseats Jaffee". The Journal News. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- i_beebe (December 7, 2020). "A new Republican in a Democratic world". City & State NY. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- Rocklandreport (November 28, 2020). "Mike Lawler Declared Winner in 97th Assembly District, Jaffee Concedes". Rockland Report. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- Gronewold, Anna (August 23, 2022). "Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney routs progressive challenger in heated New York primary". POLITICO. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- 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.
- Mutnick, Ally; Ferris, Sarah; Gronewold, Anna (November 9, 2022). "DCCC chair Maloney concedes defeat in New York". Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- Gans, Jared (January 3, 2023). "Incoming Republican rep: Santos a distraction to GOP". The Hill. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- "Lawler, Molinaro call on Santos to resign; Stefanik still silent". January 12, 2023.
- 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.
- "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.
- 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.
- "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.
- Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (March 24, 2023). "Roll Call 161 Roll Call 161, Bill Number: H. R. 5, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- "Michael Lawler breaks GOP ranks, votes against 'Parents Bill of Rights' he co-sponsored". www.lohud.com. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- "H.Res. 521: Censuring Adam Schiff, Representative of the 30th Congressional District of California". Govtrack.us. Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
- "Congressman Lawler Introduces Bill to Stop Ranked Choice Voting". Congressman Mike Lawler. Mike Lawler. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- "Committees and Caucuses | Congressman Mike Lawler". lawler.house.gov. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
- Lawler, Michael V. "Mike Lawler: On abortion, I will always advocate for life | Opinion". The Journal News. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- "About Congressman Mike Lawler". Congressman Mike Lawler.
- "Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress" (PDF). PEW Research Center. December 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- "2020 General Election Official Results" (PDF). Rockland County Board of Elections.
- "August 23 Federal and State primary results". New York State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
External links
- Congressman Mike Lawler official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- State assembly website