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 38) Suffern,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Doina |
| Relations | Traugott Lawler (great uncle) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | Pearl River, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Manhattan College (BS) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website |
Mike 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.
Lawler was born and raised inSuffern, New York. He graduated fromSuffern High School.[1]
Lawler earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance fromManhattan College in 2009 and was namedvaledictorian of his graduating class.[2][3] In 2024, Lawler received an honorary doctorate fromTouro University.[4]
On October 3, 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."[5] It was also reported that in 2005,J. Randy Taraborrelli, aMichael Jackson biographer who helped get Lawler into the courtroom for Jackson's trial, recalled that Lawler, then a senior in high school and "young fan" of Jackson had been "so disgusted" by testimony against Jackson "that he couldn't help but mutter something derogatory under his breath". Lawler was later removed from the courtroom.[5]
Lawler co-founded the political communications firm Checkmate Strategies in 2018.[6] He previously worked in theWestchester County Executive's Office as an advisor toRob Astorino and as executive director of theNew York State Republican Party. He also previously served as deputy town supervisor ofOrangetown, New York.[7] Additionally, Lawler served as a Republicanconvention delegate forDonald Trump in 2016.[8]
Lawler was elected to theNew York State Assembly in 2020 for a two-year term, defeating Democratic incumbentEllen Jaffee.[9][10]
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.[11][12][13]
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 approximately seven percentage points.[14]
The New York Times said Lawler was "openly entertaining a bid for governor in 2026" while running for re-election to Congress.[15]
On January 4, 2023, Lawler called then-newly sworn RepresentativeGeorge Santos's conduct "embarrassing and unbecoming" and "certainly a distraction".[16] On January 12, he called for Santos to resign.[17]
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."[18]
On January 9, Lawler voted in favor of the House rules package.[19] Afterward, he gave his first House speech, in favor of a bill that would defund theIRS of the money allocated in theInflation Reduction Act.[20]
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.[21] He co-sponsored the bill, but said he decided not to vote for it after an unspecified amendment "went too far".[22]
On June 21, Lawler voted with 20 other House Republicans to block the censure of Rep.Adam Schiff.[23][24]
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.[25] Representatives Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) and Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11) were the only cosponsors.[26]
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.[27][28]
Lawler is a moderate Republican politician.[31][32][33]
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.[34]
Lawler opposes a federal ban on abortion. He ispro-life except in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother's life is at risk.[35]
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.[36] 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".[37][38] In 2024, he asked president-elect Donald Trump to kill the congestion pricing plan once he gets into office.[39]
Lawler stated onTwitter in December 2022 that he would have voted to pass theRespect for Marriage Act if he was in office at the time.[40]
Lawler voted for Trump in the2024 Republican primary in New York.[41]
Lawler was one of six Republicans to sign a bipartisan letter in which they pledged to respect the results of the2024 presidential election.[42]
Lawler lives inPearl River with his wife, Doina, and their two daughters.[43]
Lawler isCatholic.[44] He is ofIrish andItalian descent.[45]
| 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 | ||||
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| New York State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theNew York State Assembly from the97th district 2021–2022 | Succeeded by |
| 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 336th | Succeeded by |