Mike Lawler | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's17th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Mondaire Jones |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the97th district | |
| In office January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Ellen Jaffee |
| Succeeded by | John W. McGowan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Vincent Lawler (1986-09-09)September 9, 1986 (age 39) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Doina |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Traugott Lawler (great-uncle) |
| Education | Manhattan College (BS) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Lawler questions witnesses on the New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act. Recorded July 27, 2023 | |
Michael Vincent Lawler (born September 9, 1986) is an American politician serving as theU.S. representative forNew York's 17th congressional district since 2023. From 2021 to 2022, he was aRepublican member of theNew York State Assembly from the 97th district inRockland County.
Mike Lawler was born to Marie (née Fortino) and Kevin Lawler,[1] and raised inSouth Salem, New York,[2] andSuffern, New York. Lawler isCatholic.[3] He is ofIrish andItalian descent.[4]
Lawler graduated fromSuffern High School.[5] He then earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance fromManhattan College in 2009 and was namedvaledictorian of his graduating class.[6][7]
In October 2024,The New York Times discovered resurfaced photos of Lawler wearing aMichael Jackson costume that includedblackface in 2006 at a Manhattan CollegeHalloween party. In response, Lawler said that his costume was intended to be "truly the sincerest form of flattery, a genuine homage to my musical hero since I was a little kid trying to moonwalk through my mom's kitchen. The ugly practice of blackface was the furthest thing from my mind."[8] It was also reported that in 2005,J. Randy Taraborrelli, aMichael Jackson biographer, helped get Lawler, then a high school senior, into the courtroom for Jackson's trial.[8]
He served asRob Astorino's Campaign Manager in his unsuccessful2014 run for Governor,[9] and thereafter as an assistant to Astorino asCounty Executive.
In 2016, Lawler served as a Republicanconvention delegate forDonald Trump.[10]
In 2018, Lawler co-founded the political communications firm Checkmate Strategies.[11]
In 2020, Lawler was elected to theNew York State Assembly for a two-year term, defeating Democratic incumbentEllen Jaffee.[12][13]
Lawler was the Republican nominee in the 2022 general election inNew York's 17th congressional district, having won the August 2022 primary. He narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent andDCCC chairSean Patrick Maloney in the November general election.[14][15][16]
On November 5, 2024, Lawler was re-elected to the United States House of Representatives in the 17th congressional district of New York, besting his opponent, Democratic nomineeMondaire Jones, by 23,946 votes.[17]
The New York Times reported in September 2024 that Lawler was seen as a potential candidate for governor of New York in2026.[18] However, in July 2025, he announced he would seek reelection to the House in 2026 instead of running for governor.
On January 4, 2023, Lawler called then-newly sworn RepresentativeGeorge Santos's conduct "embarrassing and unbecoming" and "certainly a distraction".[19] On January 12, he called for Santos to resign.[20]
Lawler voted forKevin McCarthy in the2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election. McCarthy was unable to win the speakership on the first 14 ballots. Lawler said of the matter, "It's time for everybody to unify. It's time for everybody to move forward because the reality is the American people didn't elect us to fight over rules."[21]
On January 9, Lawler voted in favor of the House rules package.[22] Afterward, he gave his first House speech, in favor of a bill that would defund theIRS of the money allocated in theInflation Reduction Act.[23]
Lawler was one of five Republicans to vote against the Parents' Bill of Rights in March 2023, and the only Republican not part of theFreedom Caucus to vote against it.[24] He co-sponsored the bill, but said he decided not to vote for it after an unspecified amendment "went too far".[25]
On June 21, Lawler voted with 20 other House Republicans to block the censure of Rep.Adam Schiff.[26][27]
On July 6, 2023, Lawler introduced H.R.4493, the District of Columbia One Vote One Choice Act, to prohibitWashington, D.C., from adoptingranked-choice voting.[28] Representatives Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) and Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11) were the only cosponsors.[29]
For much of 2023, Lawler had a policy of banning television news cameras from his town hall meetings; he rescinded the ban in early 2024.[30][31]
On October 5, 2023, Lawler signed a letter to theHouse Agriculture Committee along with 15 House Republicans opposing the inclusion of the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act in the 2023farm bill. The EATS Act, introduced in response to the California farmanimal welfare lawProposition 12, would have overturned state and localanimal welfare laws restricting the sale of agricultural goods from animals raised inbattery cages,gestation crates, andveal crates. The letter argued that the legislation would underminestates' rights and cede control over U.S. agricultural policy to the Chinese-owned pork producerWH Group and its subsidiarySmithfield Foods.[32]
In March 2024, Lawler was one of 10 House Republicans who signed a letter to theHouse Agriculture Committee opposing the inclusion of the Ending Agriculture Trade Suppression (EATS) Act in the 2024farm bill.[33]
Lawler is a major supporter of raising the cap on thestate and local tax deduction (SALT).[34][35] His support for increasing the SALT deduction drew criticism fromMarjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in May 2025.[36] President Trump encouraged House Republicans to pass a spending bill that boosts the SALT cap to $30,000, up from the current $10,000 deduction. Lawler and other blue-state Republicans representing high-tax areas argued that this proposed increase was insufficient. Regarding Lawler's push for a higher SALT deduction, Trump singled out Lawler in a May 2025 meeting, saying, "End it, Mike, just end it."[37]
On July 3, 2025, Lawler voted for theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act.[citation needed]
Lawler is amoderate Republican.[42][43][44]
In 2024, Lawler was rated as the fourth most bipartisan member of the U.S. House during the118th United States Congress in the Bipartisan Index created byThe Lugar Center and theMcCourt School of Public Policy.[45]
Lawler is a co-sponsor of theAmerican Families United Act, which addresses the needs of mixed-status families going through the United States immigration system.[46]
Lawler opposes abortion except in cases of rape or if the mother's life is at risk, but opposes a federal ban on abortion.[47]
In 2025, Lawler voted in favor of theHR 1 of the 119th Congess.[48][49]
In August 2023, Lawler was a signatory on a letter to theHouse Agriculture Committee opposing the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, which would have overturned state and localanimal welfare laws, includingCalifornia's Proposition 12 and other rules restricting the sale of animal products raised in intensivebattery cages,gestation crates, andveal crates.[50]
Lawler also cosponsored the Puppy Protection Act, which would increase welfare standards forcommercial dog breeders.[51]
In September 2024, Lawler was one of 11 House Republicans who signed a letter to Director of National IntelligenceAvril Haines requesting an analysis of Chinesebiotechnology and slaughter-freecultivated meat developments and soliciting recommendations to promote innovation in the U.S.alternative proteins sector.[52]
In May 2023, Lawler along with DemocratJosh Gottheimer (D-NJ) introduced legislation expanding anti-boycott laws to include blockingboycotts organized byinternational governmental organizations, with the intended effect of stopping theBoycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement in the United States.[53] It would prohibit American citizens and companies from supporting boycotts imposed by global entities (IGOs) against U.S. allies including Israel. The bill faced heavy criticism fromHouse Republicans andconservatives who said it would violate Americans'First Amendment rights. House Republican leadership scrapped a vote on the bill in May 2025.[54][55][56]
In 2023, Lawler opposed a plan by theMetropolitan Transportation Authority to enactcongestion pricing inManhattan, New York City, one of the most traffic congested areas of the world.[57] The plan would charge most cars $15 per day to drive in Manhattan below 60th Street. Lawler said that the congestion pricing plan was not intended to reduce congestion, but was instead an "outrageous cash grab".[58][59] In 2024, he asked president-elect Donald Trump to kill the congestion pricing plan once he gets into office.[60]
Lawler voted for Trump in the2024 Republican primary in New York.[61] Lawler was one of six Republicans to sign a bipartisan letter pledging to respect the results of the2024 presidential election.[62]
Lawler lives inPearl River with his wife, Doina, born inMoldova,[63] and their two daughters.[64]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Lawler | 26,527 | 46.27 | +17.91 | |
| Conservative | Mike Lawler | 2,697 | 4.70 | ||
| Independence | Mike Lawler | 315 | 0.55 | ||
| SAM | Mike Lawler | 397 | 0.69 | ||
| Total | Mike Lawler | 29,936 | 52.22 | ||
| Democratic | Ellen Jaffee | 27,359 | 47.72 | −17.9 | |
| Total | Ellen Jaffee (incumbent) | 27,359 | 47.72 | ||
| Write-in | 35 | 0.06 | |||
| Total votes | 57,330 | 100.0 | |||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | Swing | +35.81 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Lawler | 11,603 | 75.8 | |
| Republican | William Faulkner | 1,772 | 11.6 | |
| Republican | Charles Falciglia | 1,310 | 8.6 | |
| Republican | Shoshana David | 444 | 2.9 | |
| Republican | Jack Schrepel | 176 | 1.1 | |
| Total votes | 15,305 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sean Patrick Maloney | 130,999 | 45.6 | |
| Working Families | Sean Patrick Maloney | 8,083 | 2.8 | |
| Total | Sean Patrick Maloney (Incumbent) | 139,082 | 48.5 | |
| Republican | Mike Lawler | 124,148 | 43.3 | |
| Conservative | Mike Lawler | 17,573 | 6.1 | |
| Total | Mike Lawler | 141,721 | 49.4 | |
| Write-in | 5,885 | 2.0 | ||
| Total votes | 286,688 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Lawler | 180,924 | 47.7% | |
| Conservative | Mike Lawler | 16,921 | 4.5% | |
| Total | Mike Lawler (incumbent) | 197,845 | 52.2% | |
| Democratic | Mondaire Jones | 173,899 | 45.9% | |
| Working Families | Anthony Frascone | 7,530 | 2.0% | |
| Total votes | 379,274 | 100.0% | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are set to introduce legislation on Friday expanding U.S. anti-boycott laws to block U.S. companies and persons from participating in boycotts of U.S. allies by international governmental organizations, Jewish Insider has learned. Existing U.S. law bars U.S. companies and individuals from participating in boycotts of countries "friendly to the United States" organized by foreign countries or providing information that could facilitate those boycotts. It also requires them to report to the U.S. government when they are asked to comply with such boycotts. The new legislationEditSign will modify the law to encompass boycotts organized by international governmental organizations (IGOs), such as the United Nations and European Union. Although not specifically mentioned in the bill's text, Lawler and Gottheimer said in statements that the change comes in response to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel
I did vote for the former President
The Hearing Was Held From 2:21 p.m. To 4:02 p.m., Room 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C.,
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 17th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 334th | Succeeded by |