Who's running in New York's 17th congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Mike Lawler currently holds this seat
High confidenceHigh confidenceBacked by government records or the candidate's own official statements, with agreement across several independent sources.What would raise it: Nothing missing — this is the strongest evidence tier.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Tax relief: he cites quadrupling the state and local tax deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000, a new $6,000 deduction for people over 65, and deductions for tip and overtime income.
Government reform: he co-sponsored and voted for the Stop Insider Trading Act and a constitutional amendment limiting House members to three terms and senators to two.
Public safety: opposition to defunding police or abolishing ICE, and maintaining local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Bipartisan legislating; he cites a 99.2 out of 100 bipartisanship score in the 119th Congress, the highest in New York's delegation.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 17th District since January 2023; re-elected in 2024 by over six points in a district Kamala Harris carried.
Member of the New York State Assembly before Congress; earlier a political consultant and utility lobbyist.
Ranked fourth-most bipartisan House member in the 118th Congress; says seven of his bills passed the House and one was signed into law as a standalone measure.
Endorsed by eleven police unions representing more than 80,000 officers statewide.
Co-sponsored the resolution to expel Rep. George Santos.
Also carries the Conservative Party line on the November ballot.
Arguments in favor
He has the highest bipartisanship score in New York's delegation and delivered a fourfold increase in the SALT deduction cap, which matters more in this district than almost anywhere.
— Mike Lawler's campaign
He delivers for the district while his opponents argue among themselves, and eleven police unions representing over 80,000 officers back him.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
Arguments against
He voted with the administration's agenda 100% of the time despite presenting himself as a moderate, and promised not to cut Medicaid, then voted twice for cuts the committee says would remove nearly 35,000 constituents from the programme and cost 1,400 local hospital jobs.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
He has spent twenty years profiting off democracy as a utility lobbyist, political consultant and professional politician; a Politico investigation found his consulting firm took over $720,000 from entities connected to him, and he spent $150,000 in campaign funds on limousines and similar expenses.
— Cait Conley's campaign, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee citing Politico's reporting
What we couldn’t verify
His response to the Politico findings about his consulting firm and campaign spending has not been published in the material available.
How he reconciles the bipartisanship score with the claim that he votes with the administration every time; the two measures count different things and neither has been reconciled publicly.
Lowering drug costs and health insurance premiums by holding pharmaceutical and insurance companies to account, and creating a public option.
Banning stock trading by members of Congress and the White House.
Holding utility monopolies accountable and removing pass-through costs for private jets, lobbying and campaign donations from customer bills.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Sixteen years as an active-duty U.S. Army officer, including special operations leadership; six combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan; three Bronze Stars.
Director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council; senior adviser at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary against four rivals; endorsed in the primary by Rep. Pat Ryan.
Also carries the Working Families Party line on the November ballot.
On the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red to Blue list.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
She is a decorated combat veteran who has spent her life serving others, and is everything the incumbent is not.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Her national security background — counterterrorism at the National Security Council and cybersecurity work at CISA — is the qualification the seat needs.
— Cait Conley's campaign
Arguments against
A 34,000-word opposition dossier released during the primary attacked her over carpetbagging, the companies she has worked for and her fundraising.
— National Republican Congressional Committee, citing the dossier
Whoever emerged from that primary would be bruised and broke and no match for the incumbent, having spent the campaign fighting fellow Democrats.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
What we couldn’t verify
The dossier's specific claims and her response to them were not set out in the coverage found.
Her positions on immigration, education and foreign policy were not stated in the material available.
Her fundraising position relative to the incumbent's was not reported in material available.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
New York held its primary on June 23, 2026. Republican incumbent Mike Lawler, who also carries the Conservative Party line, faces Democrat Cait Conley, who also carries the Working Families line and emerged from a crowded five-candidate primary. This Hudson Valley district voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 while re-electing Lawler by more than six points, and both national party committees are contesting it: the Democratic committee has it on its Red to Blue list. New York allows fusion voting. The 2026 elections use the congressional map enacted on February 28, 2024. Roster from the New York qualifying lists as reported by Politics1 and Ballotpedia.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A New York ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at New York State Board of Elections.