Rep. Mike Lawler, the New York Republican whose victory marked a significant win for the GOP, gave his assessment on Fox News of what drove his success: “Voters in New York are fed up with one-party Democratic rule.” Lawler’s win, along with several other Republican victories in New York’s suburbs, shows that voters are finally rejecting the failing policies of the Democrats.
With multiple House races still uncalled, GOP control of the House remains in question. But if Republicans secure a majority, it’ll be a turning point — bringing a much-needed check to the Biden administration until at least 2026. Lawler’s triumph over former Rep. Mondaire Jones by a 6.8-point margin in New York’s 17th Congressional District was hard-won. His district, stretching just north of New York City, is a diverse suburban area, and Democrats poured millions into trying to keep it blue. But New Yorkers weren’t buying what Democrats were selling this time around. They’ve had enough of one-party control pushing them into affordability, crime, and migrant crises.
“Democrats control everything here, and they’ve created an affordability crisis, a crime crisis, and they’re blowing billions of taxpayer dollars on the migrant crisis,” Lawler explained. “Voters want action on the issues that matter to them — the economy, border security, international crises, and energy policy.” Lawler specifically hammered home the disastrous impact of the Biden-Harris border policy. “Over 10.5 million migrants in the last three and a half years,” he said. “It’s unfathomable. And in states like New York, we’re paying the price with billions in taxpayer dollars.”
David Laska, spokesperson for the New York Republican Party, pointed to President-elect Trump’s clear messaging on key issues as a driving force for these GOP wins. Unlike Harris, who tried to run her campaign on “vibes” (whatever that means), Trump focused on real issues like inflation and immigration. The result? Republican victories up and down the ballot.
Laska suggests that working-class voters, especially the “Reagan Democrats,” or as he aptly calls them now, “Trump Democrats,” have had enough of Democratic indifference to their concerns. “Look, New York may be a blue state, but it’s not the woke, progressive blue,” Laska said. “It’s blue-collar blue, working-class blue. These voters want someone who gets it, who speaks to their struggles. President Trump did that, while Kamala Harris and her ‘vibes’ message fell flat.”
The 2024 election marks a shift, where New York’s hardworking voters sent a loud message: they’re done with Democrat excuses and “vibes.” They want real solutions, and they see those solutions in the Republican vision. As voters look back on this moment, it’ll be clear that they chose the path of strength, stability, and economic sanity over failed Democratic leadership.
