Mondaire Jones and Mike Lawler debate for New York's 17th Congressional District
NEW YORK -- Mondaire Jones and Mike Lawler are in a closely watched race for New York's 17th Congressional District, which represents all of Rockland and Putnam counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess.
CBS News New York hosted a live debate between the candidates Wednesday night in New York City. If you missed it, you can watch the full hour-long debate here.
New York voters have just days left to register for the Nov. 5 general election, and the early voting period starts this Saturday, Oct. 26.
What to know about the race for N.Y. District 17
New York's 17th District spans the suburban area north of New York City, and the race could play a key role in which party controls the U.S. House for the next two years.
In 2022, Lawler narrowly defeated U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, a Democrat who had been in office for a decade.
Now Lawler, a Republican, is facing a challenge from Jones, who represented much of the district until 2022 when he moved to Brooklyn to avoid a primary fight with another incumbent impacted by redistricting.
Both candidates have geared their campaigns toward attracting moderate voters, while criticizing each other for being radical.
The latest poll has them just one point apart, but there is a third-party candidate on the Working Families Party line that could pull votes from Jones.
Tense moments between Lawler and Jones during debate
Lawler is in the fight of his life with Jones as Democrats try desperately to flip the Hudson Valley seat as part of a strategy to take control of Congress.
The debate was a boxing match, with name-calling passing for upper cuts.
A question about whether they would try to impeach Donald Trump if he tried to use the military to go after his enemies produced this exchange: "At the end of the day, if it talks like a socialist, votes like a socialist – folks, it's socialist," Lawler said of Jones.
"If it talks like a fascist and supports a fascist for president of the United States for the third consecutive presidential election, then it's a mini-fascist," Jones said of Lawler.
They disagreed about a peace settlement for the Middle East and whether Jones is sticking to his belief that Israel should return to its pre-1967 borders.
"There has to be a negotiated agreement between Israelis and Palestinians that arrives at a two-state solution," Jones said.
When asked if that two-state solution meant pre-1967 borders, Jones said, "Look, that's going to be subject to negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians."
"I'm baffled, truly. You just said you are a staunch supporter of Israel, and yet you are calling for a negotiated settlement and land swaps? Are you out of your mind?" Lawler said.
The pair debated how best to save social security and Medicare, and whether work laws should be eased so that migrants can get jobs while their asylum seeker status is verified.
The two men vehemently disagreed about the closing of the Indian Point nuclear power plant. Lawler said closing it was "foolish." Jones said the country needs clean, renewable energy, not nuclear power.
Congestion pricing
The candidates were asked about the urgent need for money for the MTA and if they would try to acquire federal funding for the agency.
Jones said he would lead a fight in Washington for federal funds, and added that when he voiced support for congestion pricing, he said he wanted an exemption for Lower Hudson Valley residents.
Lawler said he would fight for federal funding for the MTA, but it requires better management of the agency.
"It is the most bloated, mismanaged authority in the entire country. Everybody there should be fired at the very top," he said.
Lawler called congestion pricing "a money grab" and "a scam," and said the agency could start to address their funding problems by enforcing fares.
Proposition 1
When asked if the candidates supported Proposition 1, also called the Equal Rights Act, Jones said he would vote for it, while Lawler said he does not support it.
"Mike Lawler is rabidly anti-choice. He always votes to restrict access to abortion. He's done it on at least 10 different occasions ... He has disdain for women and their ability to make their own health care decisions," Jones said.
"The only one who has disdain for women is you. You called the first female governor of the state of New York the same word as what is referred to as a female dog, so don't lecture anybody about respect for women," Lawler said.
Housing affordability
Both candidates brought up the State And Local Tax, or SALT, deduction when asked about housing affordability.
"I have made raising the cap on SALT my top priority because obviously tax relief is critically important for property homeowners," Lawler said.
Lawler also blamed Democrats for the lack of affordable housing.
"Under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, housing costs have risen dramatically. The average mortgage cost is up over $1,000 a month in Rockland and Westchester counties, up over $800 a month in Putnam and Dutchess counties," he said.
Jones blamed high housing costs on a decision by then-President Trump to limit the deductibility of state and local taxes.
"One of the things we need to do is fully restore the State And Local Tax deduction, which has been capped at $10,000, crushing middle class households in the Lower Hudson Valley since Mike Lawler and Donald Trump got their way," Jones said.
Photo of Lawler in blackface for Michael Jackson costume
A photo from 2006 recently surfaced showing Lawler, at age 20, wearing blackface as he was dressed as Michael Jackson for Halloween.
"Obviously I understand that blackface has a long history as a symbol of hate, and minstrel shows were done to demean, make fun of, besmirch Black Americans, and that's absolutely not what I was doing in 2006 when I dressed up in a Halloween dance contest as a sophomore at Manhattan College. I understand why people are offended and I apologize for that, and obviously today that's not something I would do. But Van Jones, one of his own supporters, went on CNN that night and said, this is not blackface. This is not historical minstrel shows meant to degrade Black Americans, and it's a distraction from the real issues impacting Black Americans – from the affordability crisis to public safety to the migrant crisis and the impact that has on our economy and on our workforce," Lawler said.
Lawler continued, "So for me, I understand why people are upset about it. I apologize for it. But no, that was not done as an effort to demean or make fun of. Michael Jackson was my musical idol. People know that about me. They've known that for a very long time. And still today, an Andy Warhol painting of Michael Jackson hangs in my office."
"That was the most incoherent, internally inconsistent non-apology I've heard," Jones said. "Look, on one hand, he says he's sorry, but then he says it wasn't really blackface because Van Jones is saying it's not blackface? Here's the thing. This is part of a pattern. As obvious as it was in 2006 that blackface was deeply offensive. It has been reported by Politico that on two different occasions in recent weeks, he has failed the test of leadership when it comes to race. He hosted an event where someone used the N word. He didn't push back on that, didn't even acknowledge that it was used in his presence. He did an interview where the host said, 'There is no such thing white supremacy, but there is such thing as Black supremacy.' He didn't push back on that. He didn't do the NAACP candidates forum. One of the things that the Spring Valley and Nyack branches of the NAACP have criticized as being an aberration among any candidate running for Congress of the past several decades. It is really important that we have a member of Congress representing the 17th Congressional District who is committed to representing our beautiful diversity that we see in our district."
Meet the debate moderators
The debate was moderated by veteran CBS News New York anchor Maurice DuBois and political reporter Marcia Kramer.
DuBois joined CBS in 2004 and co-anchors CBS News New York at 5 and 11. Over his 20-year career with the company, he's covered everything from local news to national political conventions, and he's moderated previous debates for New York governor, New York City mayor and Congressional races.
Kramer joined the newsroom in 1990 as a political and investigative reporter, exposing things like the improper use of emergency lights and sirens, people stealing school supplies and selling them on the black market, schools serving food past its freshness date and school board members vacationing in Las Vegas on taxpayer dollars.
Where was the debate held?
The debate took place at the CBS Broadcast Center on 57th Street in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. It's also where the vice presidential debate between candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz was held earlier this month.
The CBS Broadcast Center is home to CBS News New York, CBS News 24/7, CBS Sports and Sports Network and several other productions. It's also the distribution center for the CBS Television Network.
CBS acquired the building in 1952 from Sheffield Farms, which had been the world's largest milk distribution center. It was used to bottle and distribute milk by train, and there are still tracks located in the subbasement.
CBS News then moved into the building in 1964, relocating from the Grand Central Terminal building. Walter Cronkite broadcast the 1964 election results from Studio 41, now home to the "Drew Barrymore Show."
Watch CBS News New York's latest political coverage leading up to Election Day, and don't miss "The Point with Marcia Kramer" on Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m.