Rep. Mike Lawler and Mondaire Jones talk immigration in tight N.Y. 17th Congressional District
NEW YORK -- From Long Island to the Hudson Valley, immigration has been a top issue in congressional swing districts.
That was the case on Monday, the final day of campaigning in New York's 17th District, where Democrat Mondaire Jones hopes to unseat Republican Rep. Mike Lawler.
In this swing district, which covers all of Rockland and Putnam counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess counties, immigration has become a big concern among voters.
- Read more: Mike Lawler, Mondaire Jones have put N.Y.'s 17th Congressional District in the national spotlight
The recent Somers, N.Y. shooting
Lawler is demanding an end to sanctuary policies that impact local law enforcement's cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, citing the recent case of Fernando Jimenez, who is charged with killing Michael Raimondo of the northern Westchester town of Somers and injuring Raimondo's mother and brother.
"You should not be protected by these ridiculous laws," Lawler said. "After his arrest for drunk driving in Yonkers in 2018, he should have been handed over to ICE. Instead, Westchester County's sanctuary status prevents law enforcement from coordinating with federal immigration authorities. Mondaire Jones wanted to prevent the deportation of anyone arrested for DWI."
Jones, who greeted supporters in the Rockland town of Nanuet, has moved to the center as he seeks to unseat Lawler. He told CBS News New York that Congress has failed on immigration reform and Lawler is part of the problem.
"What happened in Somers is a consequence of the kind of political gamesmanship that we have seen Mike Lawler engage in every single day that he has served as a member of the U.S. Congress and refused during his two years in Congress to do something to secure our Southern border," Jones said.
Early voting extremely strong in the district
Jones and Lawler both say immigration policy is broken and must be fixed. It is one issue fueling strong turnout in this tight race.
Two years ago in the midterm election, 285,000 people voted in N.Y.-17.. Already this presidential year, more than 204,000 voted early.
Many people took advantage of early voting all over the Tri-State Area. In New York, as of Sunday, the unofficial tally for the state's in-person early voting topped 2.9 million. In New Jersey, more than 1.1 million cast their ballots early. In Connecticut, more than 850,000 took part in early voting.
D'Esposito-Gillen coming down to the wire in N.Y.-04
There was a final push by Republicans on Long Island on Monday night. Supporters rallied for Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, who in 2022 became the first Republican to represent the 4th Congressional District since 1997, beating challenger Laura Gillen and flipping the Democratic seat.
"I feel great. Enthusiasm out here is tremendous, on the street all day as I have been talking to neighbors about the issues that matter most to them. Tomorrow, all across the Empire State, we are going to see a big turnout for Republican victories," D'Esposito said.
Tuesday will be a high-stakes political rematch for the two, as control of the House runs through their Long Island district. Gillen, in 2017, was the first Democrat to be elected Hempstead town supervisor in 112 years. A win for her could help turn the House blue.
"I'm excited for tomorrow. It has been a long ... we have run a really strong race, knocked on over 300,000 doors, talked to voters, good energy. People are eager for change in this district," Gillen said.
Early voting numbers show more than 500,000 ballots on Long Island were cast in person during the early voting period.