Nancy Pelosi, the prominent Democratic Representative from California, has thrown her weight behind former New York Congressman, Mondaire Jones, in a must-watch House race in New York’s 17th Congressional District. Reported by The Hill on October 31, this endorsement underscores the critical nature of the upcoming contest.
Jones, once a congressman, is now in a high-stakes race against Liz Whitmer Gereghty, a tenacious entrepreneur and sister of Michigan’s Democratic Governor, Gretchen Whitmer. His ultimate target? A showdown with GOP’s Mike Lawler.
Jones’s gratitude for Pelosi’s endorsement was evident in his recent post on the platform previously known as Twitter. He voiced his appreciation, reflecting on the accomplishments of the Democrats in the last term and contrasting them against what he termed as “MAGA Republicans.”
Interestingly, Pelosi’s backing isn’t new to Jones. She stood solidly by him during his last run in New York’s 10th District, a race where Jones faced an unexpected defeat against Dan Goldman.
On the other side, Lawler, the Republican contender, didn’t waste any time in responding to Pelosi’s endorsement with a sharp remark, recalling how he played a part in ending her term as House Speaker and hinting that her endorsement might not be the advantage Jones hopes for.
With Lawler defending one of the 18 Republican seats in districts won by President Biden in 2020, his previous win was a significant achievement for the GOP.
New York’s 17th Congressional District race is already heating up with both sides going all out, suggesting it might just become the bellwether for the U.S. political climate.