Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's sister running for Congress in New York

The sister of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday announced her bid to unseat Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in New York and return the seat to Democrats.

Liz Whitmer Gereghty, a small business owner in New York, is running for Lawler's New York 17th congressional district seat. Gereghty announced her bid in an email and on Twitter Tuesday, a day before Mr. Biden visits that part of New York for a speech and fundraisers. 

Last year, Lawler eked out a narrow victory over former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Sean Patrick Maloney in the Biden-friendly district outside New York City. Lawler's office told CBS News that Lawler will attend the president's event in his district on Wednesday. Mr. Biden is expected to talk about why Congress needs to act to avoid a default and what House Republicans' plan will do to veterans' health care benefits and Meals on Wheels for seniors. 

New York very well may have determined the control of power in the House, as Republicans in New York won six seats that Mr. Biden won in 2020, in what was otherwise a better-than-expected year for Democrats. 

Gereghty is sure to draw some name recognition from her sister, who trounced her Republican opponent, Tudor Dixon, in November. 

In her ad, Gereghty said she's running because states are rolling back reproductive protections, and because Congress refuses to act on gun violence, among other things. 

"I'm Liz Gereghty," Gereghty wrote on Twitter Tuesday. "A mom, small businesswoman, school board member, and candidate for #NY17. I'm running for Congress because while many may say we'll never solve our biggest problems, I say we haven't…yet."

In a statement responding to Gereghty's announcement, the National Republican Congressional Committee suggested Democrats aren't helping New York. 

"We invite more Democrats to join in the race to the Left as they have to answer for their lack of solutions to rising inflation, rising crime and a porous open border," NRCC Spokeswoman Savannah Viar said. 

— Rebecca Kaplan contributed to this report