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{{Short description|American politician (born 1986)}}{{for|persons of a similar name|Michael Lawler (disambiguation)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}

factoids

| term_start = January 3, 2023| term_end = | predecessor = Mondaire Jones| successor = | state_assembly1 = New YorkNew York's 97th State Assembly district>97th| term_start1 = January 1, 2021| term_end1 = December 31, 2022| predecessor1 = Ellen Jaffee| successor1 = John W. McGowan| birth_name = Michael Vincent Lawler19869}}Suffern, New York>Suffern, New York, U.S.| death_date = | death_place = Republican Party (United States)>Republican| spouse = Doina| children = 1| residence = Pearl River, New York, U.S.Manhattan College (Bachelor of Science>BS)lawler.house.gov|House website}}| caption = Official portrait, 2023pos=centerfilename=Mike Lawler questions witnesses on the New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection Act.oggtype=speech|description=Mike Lawler questions witnesses on the New York-New Jersey Watershed Protection ActRecorded July 27, 2023}}| relations = Traugott Lawler (great uncle)|signature=Mike Lawler Signature.png}}Michael Vincent Lawler (born September 9, 1986) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 17th congressional district since 2023. From 2021 to 2022, he was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly from the 97th district in Rockland County. In 2024 he was ranked as the 4th most bipartisan member of Congress by the Lugar Center and Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy Bipartisan Index.WEB, Congressman Lawler Ranked 4th Most Bipartisan Member of 118th Congress – Rockland Daily,weblink 2024-05-17, rocklanddaily.com,

Early life and education

A native of Rockland County, Lawler graduated from Suffern High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance from Manhattan College in 2009.WEB, Mike Lawler - Assembly District 97 {{!, Assembly Member Directory {{!}} New York State Assembly|url=https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Mike-Lawler/|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=nyassembly.gov}} Lawler was named valedictorian of his graduating class.AV MEDIA, January 24, 2020,weblink Michael Lawler Commencement Speech, Michael Lawler, YouTube, January 15, 2023,weblink November 14, 2022, live, Lawler is of Irish and Italian descent.

Career

Lawler was a partner at the political communications firm Checkmate Strategies from 2018 until 2022. He previously worked in the Westchester County Executive's Office as an advisor to Rob Astorino and executive director of the New York State Republican Party. Before winning his election, he served as deputy town supervisor of Orangetown, New York.Lawler was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 for a two-year term, defeating Democratic incumbent Ellen Jaffee.WEB, Lieberman, Steve, Elections Update: Reichlin-Melnick wins Senate seat over Weber; Lawler unseats Jaffee,weblink January 31, 2021, The Journal News, en-US, WEB, i_beebe, December 7, 2020, A new Republican in a Democratic world,weblink January 31, 2021, City & State NY, en, WEB, Rocklandreport, November 28, 2020, Mike Lawler Declared Winner in 97th Assembly District, Jaffee Concedes,weblink January 31, 2021, Rockland Report, en-US,

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2022

Lawler was the Republican nominee in the 2022 general election in New York's 17th congressional district, having won the August 2022 primary. He narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent and DCCC chair Sean Patrick Maloney in the November general election in a major upset.NEWS, Gronewold, Anna, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney routs progressive challenger in heated New York primary,weblink August 25, 2022, POLITICO, August 23, 2022, en, NEWS,weblink Sean Patrick Maloney Concedes to Mike Lawler in Major Loss for Democrats, Jesse, McKinley, Nicholas, Fandos, The New York Times, November 9, 2022, November 9, 2022, NEWS,weblink DCCC chair Maloney concedes defeat in New York, Ally, Mutnick, Sarah, Ferris, Anna, Gronewold, November 9, 2022, November 9, 2022,

Tenure

On January 4, 2023, Lawler called then-newly sworn Representative George Santos's conduct "embarrassing and unbecoming" and "certainly a distraction".WEB, Gans, Jared, Incoming Republican rep: Santos a distraction to GOP,weblink The Hill, January 3, 2023, January 4, 2023, On January 12, he called for Santos to resign.NEWS,weblink Lawler, Molinaro call on Santos to resign; Stefanik still silent, Times Union, January 12, 2023, Bellamy, Phillip Pantuso, Lawler voted for Kevin McCarthy in the 2023 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."NEWS, 'It's a sad day for the American people.' Rep. Lawler frustrated by lack of votes for McCarthy as House speaker,weblink News12 New Jersey, January 4, 2023, On January 9, Lawler voted in favor of the House rules package.WEB, Roll Call 23 {{pipe, Bill Number: H. Res. 5 |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202323 |website=Clerk of the United States House of Representatives |date=January 9, 2023 |access-date=January 10, 2023}} Afterward, he gave his first House speech, in favor of a bill that would defund the IRS of the money allocated in the Inflation Reduction Act.TWEET, Lawler, Mike, Mike Lawler, RepMikeLawler, 1612633973267763200, January 10, 2023, Tonight, I delivered my first floor speech, supporting the Family & Small Business Protection Act, which will repeal the 87,000 new IRS agents. We need to make New York and our country more affordable and shouldn't use the IRS to target hardworking taxpayers. #CommitmentToAmericaweblink en, January 15, 2023, Lawler was one of five Republicans to vote against the Parents' Bill of Rights in March 2023, and the only Republican not part of the Freedom Caucus to vote against it.WEB, 2023-03-24, Roll Call 161 Roll Call 161, Bill Number: H. R. 5, 118th Congress, 1st Session,weblink 2023-03-26, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, en, He co-sponsored the bill, but decided not to vote for it after he said an unspecified amendment "went too far".WEB, Michael Lawler breaks GOP ranks, votes against 'Parents Bill of Rights' he co-sponsored,weblink www.lohud.com, 17 April 2023, On June 21, Lawler voted with 212 other House Republicans in favor of the censure of Rep. Adam Schiff.WEB, H.Res. 521: Censuring Adam Schiff, Representative of the 30th Congressional District of California.,weblink Govtrack.us, Civic Impulse, LLC, 13 July 2023, Along with Claudia Tenney, Lawler introduced a bill to prohibit Washington, D.C. from adopting ranked-choice voting.WEB, Congressman Lawler Introduces Bill to Stop Ranked Choice Voting,weblink Congressman Mike Lawler, May 25, 2023, Mike Lawler, 17 July 2023, 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.NEWS, December 18, 2023, Rep. Lawler bans media cameras from town hall meetings,weblink 2023-12-18, News 12 - Westchester, WEB, Lawler continues media ban: Journalists kept from Congressional Town Hall in Westchester,weblink 2023-12-19, The Journal News, en-US, WEB, News 12, Cheddar-, 2023-12-17, Rep. Lawler bans media cameras from town hall meetings,weblink 2023-12-19, Rome Sentinel, en, NEWS, Wilson, David McKay, In face of criticism, Lawler rescinds press ban at his Congressional Town Halls,weblink January 9, 2024, Poughkeepsie Journal, January 9, 2024,

Caucus memberships

• Republican Main Street PartnershipWEB, Committees and Caucuses {{!, Congressman Mike Lawler |url=https://lawler.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses.htm |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=lawler.house.gov |language=en}}

Committee assignments

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets
• Committee on Foreign Affairs

Political positions

Politico described Lawler as an avowed moderate.NEWS, Anuta, Joe, December 3, 2023, Speaker Johnson makes NY fundraising swing for battleground House races,weblink May 12, 2024,

Abortion

Lawler opposes a federal ban on abortion, but personally opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest or if the mother's life is at risk.WEB, Lawler, Michael V., Mike Lawler: On abortion, I will always advocate for life {{!, Opinion |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/2022/10/06/mike-lawler-ny-17-these-are-my-positions-on-abortion/69524466007/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=The Journal News |language=en-US}}

Congestion pricing

In 2023, Lawler opposed a plan by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to enact congestion pricing in Manhattan, New York City, one of the most traffic congested areas of the world.WEB, 2023-03-16, 4 members of Congress form anti-congestion pricing caucus,weblink PIX11, en-US, The plan would charge most cars $15 per day to drive in Manhattan below 60th Street. Lawler argued that the congestion pricing plan was not intended to reduce congestion, but was instead an "outrageous cash grab."WEB, 2023-12-04, Congressmen Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer slam congestion pricing as "money grab," say it will wreck area small businesses,weblink www.cbsnews.com, en-US, NEWS, Bellamy, Lana, 2023-12-07, Congestion pricing closer to reality after MTA vote,weblink Times Union, en,

Personal life

Lawler lives in Pearl River with his wife, Doina, and their daughter.WEB,weblink, About Congressman Mike Lawler, Congressman Mike Lawler, Lawler is Catholic.WEB, December 2022, Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress, https:www.pewresearch.org/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/12/PF_2023.01.03_congress_LIST.pdf, March 10, 2023, PEW Research Center,

Electoral history

{{Election box begin | title=New York State Assembly District 97, General Election 2020WEB, 2020 General Election Official Results,weblink Rockland County Board of Elections, }}{{Election box candidate with party link| {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box candidate with party link no change {{Election box winning candidate no change {{Election box candidate with party link| {{Election box candidate no change {{Election box write-in with party link no change {{Election box total no change {{Election box gain with party link| }}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change| title = New York's 17th congressional district, Primary Election 2022}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| candidate = Mike Lawler| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 11,603| percentage = 75.8}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = William Faulkner| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 1,772| percentage = 11.6}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Charles Falciglia| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 1,310| percentage = 8.6}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Shoshana David| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 444| percentage = 2.9}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Jack Schrepel| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 176| percentage = 1.1}}{{Election box total no change| votes = 15,305| percentage = 100.0 }}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no changeURL-STATUS=LIVE ARCHIVE-DATE=DECEMBER 3, 2022 WEBSITE=NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Sean Patrick Maloney| party = Democratic Party (United States)| votes = 130,999| percentage = 45.6}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Sean Patrick Maloney| party = Working Families Party| votes = 8,083| percentage = 2.8}}{{Election box candidate no change| candidate = Sean Patrick Maloney (Incumbent)| party = Total| votes = 139,082| percentage = 48.5}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Mike Lawler| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 124,148| percentage = 43.3}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Mike Lawler| party = Conservative Party of New York State| votes = 17,573| percentage = 6.1}}{{Election box winning candidate no change| candidate = Mike Lawler| party = Total| votes = 141,721| percentage = 49.4}}{{Election box write-in with party link no change| votes = 5,885| percentage = 2.0}}{{Election box total no change| votes = 286,688 | percentage = 100.0}}{hide}Election box gain with party link no change| {edih}{{Election box end}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

• Congressman Mike Lawler official U.S. House website
• Campaign website

{{CongLinks |congbio=L000599 |votesmart=192271 |fec=H2NY17162 |congress=michael-lawler/L000599}}

• {{C-SPAN|9279010}}
• State assembly website

{{NY-FedRep}}{{Members of the U.S. House of Representatives}}{{USCongRep-start |congresses=118th–present United States Congresses |state=New York}}{{USCongRep/NY/118}}{{USCongRep-end}}