Former Representative Mondaire Jones announced his intention to run for the Democratic nomination in New York’s 17th Congressional District in the upcoming year.
“It’s official. I’m running. And you’re the first to hear about it on TV,” exclaimed Jones during his first interview as a candidate, highlighting the significance of the moment.
“I’ve never been Washington’s choice. It’s because I stand up to corruption. I battle with Republicans trying to overthrow our democracy and ban abortion, even as I push my party to fight harder for working people. I’m running to finish the work I began,” Jones said in a tweet accompanying his campaign launch video.
“Most people in Washington didn’t grow up like me. They have no idea what it’s like to struggle. We got to get Washington back on the side of working people. I know we can do better. For me, this is personal,” he said.
Having previously represented Rockland and portions of Westchester counties for one term before district boundaries were redrawn in 2022, Jones, a Spring Valley native and former attorney, now sets his sights on unseating Republican Representative Mike Lawler in the congressional district.
Jones initially chose to enter a highly competitive race in Manhattan to avoid a primary challenge against former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Sean Patrick Maloney. However, that endeavor did not yield the desired outcome.
Undeterred, Jones is now determined to win over the constituents of the 17th Congressional District. To achieve this, he will need to navigate through a crowded primary field that includes notable contenders such as former Bedford Town Supervisor MaryAnn Carr and Katonah-Lewisboro School Board member Liz Gereghty, who happens to be the sister of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
As an outspoken progressive and a graduate of Harvard Law School, Jones’s personal background growing up in Section 8 housing in Rockland adds a unique perspective to his candidacy, resonating with those who have faced similar challenges.