New York’s 17th Congressional District is basically a political pressure cooker that never stops whistling. If you’ve been following the Hudson Valley drama, you know the big question: who is Mondaire Jones running against? Honestly, it’s not just one person. It’s a whole field of ambitious challengers, a deeply entrenched incumbent, and a complicated primary map that makes the 2024 rematch look like a warm-up.
Right now, we’re looking at the 2026 cycle. It’s early, but the battle lines in Rockland, Putnam, and Westchester are already being drawn.
The Elephant in the Room: Mike Lawler
The most obvious answer to who is Mondaire Jones running against is the guy currently sitting in the seat. Representative Mike Lawler (R) has become something of a giant-slayer in the Lower Hudson Valley. After he took down Sean Patrick Maloney in 2022 and then fended off Jones himself in 2024, Lawler has solidified his spot as a "moderate" Republican who knows how to win in a blue-leaning district.
Lawler isn't just a placeholder. He’s been aggressively vocal about things like the SALT tax deduction—a huge deal for New York homeowners—and he has built a surprising amount of support in traditionally Democratic pockets of the district. For Jones, or any Democrat, Lawler is the "final boss" of this level.
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The Crowded Democratic Primary Field
Before Jones can even think about Lawler, he’s got a primary to worry about. Unlike 2024, where the path was largely cleared for him, 2026 is looking like a "clown car" (as Lawler likes to call it). The list of potential and declared Democratic challengers is long.
- Beth Davidson: A Rockland County Legislator who has already started making waves. She’s got local roots and has been pitching herself as the candidate who can actually win over the voters Lawler has charmed. She’s been leading in early fundraising, which is a big signal to the DCCC.
- Cait Conley: An Army veteran with a background in election security. She worked at CISA and on the National Security Council. Her vibe is "competence and service," and she’s already raised a significant amount of cash—nearly a million dollars as of late 2025 reports.
- Jessica Reinmann: The founder of the anti-poverty nonprofit 914Cares. She was one of the first to jump in. She’s leaning hard into her nonprofit experience and a strong pro-Israel stance, which is a major factor in a district with a significant Jewish voting bloc.
- Effie Phillips-Staley: A Tarrytown Village Trustee who represents the more progressive wing. She’s focused on the "bread and butter" stuff—housing, childcare, and healthcare.
- Mike Sacks: A former journalist and attorney. He’s the wildcard. His campaign slogan was basically "unf*** our country," which definitely got people's attention, though he's trailing the frontrunners in the money race.
Why the 2024 Hangover Still Matters
You can't talk about who is Mondaire Jones running against without mentioning his past. The 2024 election left some bruises. Jones famously lost the Working Families Party (WFP) line to a guy named Anthony Frascone after some weird internal party maneuvering. That split the vote and made it much easier for Lawler to cruise to victory.
Some progressives are still salty. Jones' decision to endorse George Latimer over Jamaal Bowman in a neighboring district burned a lot of bridges with the "squad" wing of the party. So, in a way, Jones is running against his own record and the skepticism of his former allies.
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The Redistricting Ghost
Redistricting in New York is a mess. Every few years, the lines move, and suddenly you're representing a town you've never stepped foot in. The current NY-17 includes all of Rockland and Putnam, plus chunks of Westchester and Dutchess. It’s a "purple" district. It’s not Manhattan.
When people ask who is Mondaire Jones running against, they have to realize he's running against a changing demographic. The district is more conservative than the 10th District in Brooklyn where he briefly tried to run in 2022. Lawler has exploited this by painting Jones as a "Manhattan radical," even though Jones grew up in the Hudson Valley on Section 8 and food stamps.
What’s Next for NY-17?
The primary is scheduled for June 23, 2026. That sounds like a long way off, but in the world of FEC filings and town halls, it’s tomorrow.
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If you're a voter in this district, you're going to see a lot of mailers. You're going to hear about "affordability," "the border," and "democracy." But the real fight is for the soul of the Democratic party in the Hudson Valley. Is it the progressive firebrand version of Jones, or a more local-focused, "moderate" alternative like Beth Davidson or Cait Conley?
Key Actionable Steps for NY-17 Voters:
- Check the FEC Reports: If you want to see who is actually serious, look at the "Cash on Hand" for candidates like Cait Conley and Peter Chatzky. Money doesn't buy the seat, but it buys the TV ads that do.
- Monitor the WFP Line: Keep an eye on which Democrat (if any) gets the Working Families Party endorsement this time. Avoiding a split vote is the only way a Democrat beats Mike Lawler.
- Attend a Forum: The Westchester County Democratic Committee is already hosting candidate forums. These are usually small enough that you can actually ask a question.
- Verify Your Registration: New York has closed primaries. If you aren't registered as a Democrat by the deadline (usually in February), you won't have a say in who faces Lawler.
The 2026 race for NY-17 is already one of the most watched in the country. It’s not just about Mondaire Jones anymore; it’s about whether the Democrats can figure out how to reclaim the Hudson Valley suburbs from a very savvy Republican incumbent.