Reporting by Chris McKenna, New York State Team/Rockland-Westchester Journal News
Rep. Mike Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley are set to face off in two televised debates this fall after a push by the Republican incumbent to debate his opponent earlier and more often than candidates normally do.
Both contenders for New York’s 17th Congressional District have agreed to take the stage on News 12 on Sept. 28 and PIX11 on Oct. 14. That’s one fewer encounter but an earlier start than the NY-17 race featured in 2024, when Lawler and former Rep. Mondaire Jones squared off on TV three times starting on Oct. 16.
Lawler and Conley are waging a high-profile race for a battleground House district that’s viewed as a toss-up and that will help decide control of the House in the midterm elections.
Lawler, who’s running for a third term, has been pressing for debates since Conley won a Democratic primary in June and had demanded they meet six times, starting as early as July.
What to know about Mike Lawler, Cait Conley NY-17 debates
The upshot is a pair of debates on news stations serving the New York City area and Lower Hudson Valley territory that makes up the 17th District.
The two are also expected to take part in candidate forums around the district, including an event the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce was set to hold at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19 in Poughkeepsie.
Lawler and his campaign have blasted Conley for turning down additional offers to debate him on two Sunday morning news shows. Those encounters were to have taken place on CNN’s “State of the Union” show with anchor Dana Bash on Aug. 30 and NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker on Sept. 6.
Lawler threw one of those jabs on X on Aug. 12: “Unlike my opponent, who is clearly afraid to face plant on national television and is only comfortable in scripted environments with soft ball questions, I stand ready to debate on CNN, NBC, and other networks so voters can hear our stances on the issues.”
In a statement to the USA TODAY Network on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Conley campaign spokeswoman Maddy Rosen fired back that Lawler “continues to act like a spoiled brat begging for more national air time to lie about his record.”
She said Conley was focused on “hearing directly from voters” and looks forward to debating Lawler and holding him accountable for his votes and for “being a spineless, self-serving politician.”
Congressional candidates typically debate on local TV stations serving the areas where voters will cast ballots in those races.
Chris Russell, a strategist for Lawler’s campaign, told the USA TODAY Network that Lawler had sought to debate Conley on national news shows as well because he wanted the “largest possible audience” and would “take any opportunity to have a one-on-one with her.”
Conley is an Army combat veteran who held national security posts in the Biden administration. She won a five-way Democratic primary on June 23 — by 18 points over her nearest rival — and will face Lawler in the Nov. 3 general election, with early voting set to start on Oct. 24.
The district straddles the Hudson River and takes in all of Rockland and Putnam counties, the northern half of Westchester County and a slice of southern Dutchess County.
Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA TODAY Network. Reach him at CMcKenna@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News.
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