Congressman Mike Lawler and Democratic challenger Cait Conley are publicly clashing over the number and timing of debates in the closely watched race for New York’s 17th Congressional District, with the Lawler campaign criticizing Conley for declining proposed appearances on two national television programs.
Lawler’s campaign says the Republican congressman initially challenged Conley to six televised debates on June 23, shortly after she won the Democratic primary, and renewed the challenge in July.
Earlier this week, Lawler announced that he had accepted invitations for four potential debates: NBC’s Meet the Press, CNN’s State of the Union, News 12 and PIX11.
According to the Lawler campaign, Conley has agreed to debates hosted by News 12 and PIX11 but declined the proposed NBC and CNN appearances. Her campaign has instead pointed to multiple candidate forums expected to take place between now and Election Day.
The dispute follows earlier comments from Conley criticizing Lawler and accusing him of being afraid to face her in a debate. Lawler’s campaign is now pointing to those remarks while arguing that Conley should accept additional televised debates.
“Cait Conley went on national television in June and told the country Mike Lawler was scared to face her,” Lawler for Congress spokesman Ciro Riccardi said. “Shortly thereafter, NBC and CNN offered her a national stage with Mike Lawler, and she chickened out of both.”
The debate schedule has become an issue in part because NY-17 voters saw three televised debates during the 2024 congressional race between Lawler and Democratic challenger Mondaire Jones, with debates hosted by News 12, CBS News New York and PIX11.
Under the schedule currently agreed to by Conley, the first televised debate would take place September 28, more than three months after Lawler first issued his debate challenge. If the schedule remains at two televised debates, voters would see fewer debates than during the 2024 congressional race.
Before then, the candidates are expected to participate in the first candidate forum of the general election this Wednesday, August 19. The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce will host the forum from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Poughkeepsie. The event will be open to the press.
The NY-17 contest, which includes all of Rockland and Putnam counties and portions of Westchester and Dutchess counties, is expected to be among the closely watched congressional races heading into November.
