Mike Lawler, Mondaire Jones have put N.Y.'s 17th Congressional District in the national spotlight
NEW YORK -- The gloves are off in the 17th Congressional District, where Republican Mike Lawler is trying to hold off a stiff challenge from Democrat Mondaire Jones.
Lawler and Jones were born months apart in the late 1980s and both graduated in 2005 from Rockland County high schools. They are now putting their swing district at the center of a contest for control of the House of Representatives.
CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer and Maurice Dubois will press for answers at Wednesday night's debate, which can be seen live at 8 p.m. on New York 55 and streaming online at CBSNewYork.com.
It has been a contentious race throughout
Lawler and Jones have been accusing each other of distorting their record on issues, including abortion and supporting law enforcement and they have been taking verbal swipes at each other for some time in public and on air.
"Mondaire Jones has shown who he is. He's a radical extremist," Lawler said.
"He votes like an extreme MAGA Republican," Jones said.
The 17th sprawls across all of Rockland and Putnam counties, and of parts of northern Westchester and southeastern Dutchess. Thanks to redistricting, it is now a swing district battleground.
"A Republican Congress because of Mike Lawler getting to stay in Congress, representing this district, we're gonna see a dangerous Project 2025 agenda," Jones said.
Jones represented much of the district until 2022, when he moved to Brooklyn to avoid a primary fight with another incumbent impacted by redistricting.
"This is someone who clearly didn't care about representing this community once before. He ran away to Brooklyn, came down there, ran for Congress, said he never felt more at home than he did in Brooklyn," Lawler said.
The swing district playbook calls for candidates to paint each other as extreme -- and that's what's happening in the 17th.
"He'll do anything to make AOC proud," one Lawler ad says, referencing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"Lawler empowers the worst people in Washington," Jones says on an ad.
Voters say they are more focused on pocketbook issues
At the end of the day, issues that impact the standard of living are what matter to most New Yorkers. CBS News New York spoke to many on Wednesday.
"How would Congress be able help with housing affordability within New York state" one asked.
"Social Security and Medicare," another said.
"The little people need more help," another added.
Lawler supports former President Donald Trump while talking like a traditional conservative.
"Both parties over the last two decades have absolutely allowed federal spending to get out of control," Lawler said. "We need an economy that is growing, which means we need to reduce taxes. We need to reduce regulations."
Lawler blames runaway federal spending for inflation, while Jones says, "Companies have been price gouging. We have to take on corporate greed. The reason that prices are so high is because of corporate greed, and I'm the guy willing to do that."
Where they stand on illegal immigration
Another major voter concern is illegal immigration. Lawler was an early critical voice as asylum seekers crossed the border and more than 200,000 reached New York City and its suburbs.
"They called us racist. They called us bigoted. We were raising the alarm because this is unsustainable," Lawler said.
Like many Democrats in tight races, Jones has criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on the border.
"They have been imperfect to be sure. I'll go as far as saying they should have done much more, sooner," Jones said.
