Guest Editorial: Cait Conley has the best chance of beating Mike Lawler in the NY-17 race.
"By uniting our support behind Cait Conley right now, we deny our opponents the chance to fracture the resistance to the Trump agenda before the real fight even begins."
by Stacey Nachtaler and Brian Pugh
The imminent June 23 primary election is a critical crossroads for the future of our country, and, as residents of New York’s 17th Congressional swing district, we have a unique duty to act. With the Federal Executive Branch operating with fewer guardrails in its final years, our nation faces an urgent, limited window to check a rogue chief executive and stand up for our communities.
Many residents across our nation have expressed deep concern around the assault on basic constitutional rights. Rising costs associated with inflation, tariffs, and international conflict have placed additional pressure on household budgets, leading some families to draw down savings or take on debt to meet everyday expenses.
Further, the trillion-dollar cut to healthcare funding from the Lawler-backed H.R.1, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, could reduce healthcare access for millions and cost the lives of thousands of Americans, analyses and projections from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and Yale. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports that H.R.1 will add more than $2T to the national debt, while cutting corporate taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
Against this backdrop, Democratic voters will choose their nominee for Congress. Stakes are high. We must have our eye on the prize - the one who can win the general election. After studying the merits of all the candidates, we believe Cait Conley is best-positioned to compete in a district that has historically attracted voters from a wide range of progressive to moderate political viewpoints.
A decorated Army combat veteran and graduate of West Point, Harvard, and MIT, Conley has also served on the National Security Council. Her campaign emphasizes issues including climate change, clean-energy investment, workforce development, healthcare access, reproductive rights, and support for veterans.
As Cait’s momentum has grown, she has become the target of unfair and highly coordinated political attacks that only serve to divide us and distract us from the real issues. We cannot ignore the threat likely to emerge in our closely watched district. In Democratic primaries across the country, conservative interests and mystery PACs have manipulated our primary elections. It would not at all be surprising if similar tactics were deployed in the 17th District.
Giving in to such gimmicks or succumbing to internal division plays directly into the opposition’s hands. By uniting our support behind Cait Conley right now, we deny our opponents the chance to fracture the resistance to the Trump agenda before the real fight even begins.
We ask that Democrats across the political spectrum get it right this time and align behind Cait Conley for the best chance of defeating Congressman Mike Lawler. Don’t wait until June 23rd, lock in your vote by casting your ballot during early voting (Saturday, 6/13 through Sunday, 6/21) at any countywide site, including the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building here in Croton-on-Hudson.
Thank you, and God Bless America on the 250th Anniversary of our beloved nation.
Stacey Nachtaler is a Croton-on-Hudson Village Trustee.
Brian Pugh is the Croton-on-Hudson Village Mayor.
***********************************************************************************************
Editor’s Note: While the Chronicle does not endorse candidates for elected office, we provide a platform for the candidates, their supporters, and their opponents to express their views free of charge and in front of the paywall. To discuss a submission please contact us at TheCrotonChronicle@gmail.com
***********************************************************************************************
To share this post, or to share The Croton Chronicle, please click on these links.
Comments policy: No personal attacks or trolling. Please be polite and respectful at all times.
A vote for Conley is a vote to continue genocide in Palestine with US arms, promote Israeli involvement in our elections through AIPAC, give a nod of approval to ICE tactics (given her work with palantir) and an ok to the Democratic machine in Westchester to pick nominees before primaries. The only candidate who is a true progressive and sees the clear moral issues in the Middle East is Effie. She has had the courage to speak up with moral clarity on all the issues in this election.
Just a note on comments policy. Given the sharp disagreements about this primary campaign, we are allowing comments that are in line with the debates currently going on in other venues, even when they are expressed in sharp terms. So far none of the comments have strayed over the line into personal attacks rather than political criticism. Let’s keep it that way, with thanks to all.