Some Rockland County Voters Go Negative on Rep. Mike Lawler

Voters in Congressional District 17 have divided opinions about Republican  Representative Mike Lawler. At town halls and community gatherings in Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties some folks see him as a practical voice while others don’t hesitate to question his choices and wonder if he’s really in tune with their concerns. Three of his town halls have gotten rowdy. One of the most common phrases is,”Lawler doesn’t listen.”  That phrase hints at deeper frustrations around communication, representation, and how national politics impacts local communities.

In the 2026 midterm elections, control of the U.S House of Representatives might depend  on a handful of competitive districts. A recent analysis from Decision DeskHQ points to more than two dozen Republican-held seats that could easily flip, as Democrats aim to pickup just a few seats to take back the majority. 

Lawler’s Hudson Valley district stands out. It seems like a crucial battleground for Democrats. The area is politically split and was won by a Democratic presidential candidate. Because of this, his race isn’t just about local politics, it’s part of a bigger struggle that could ultimately decide who holds power in Washington       

To get a better sense of these concerns, I talked to people at barbershops and community spots around Rockland County. As I sat  waiting for my haircut and I saw a regular at the shop Jeremiah Prado. He has lived in Rockland County for 46 years. “Im frustrated with him, he doesn’t care about us.” Prado said.

At the bagel shop next door,  Steven Chase, and Josh Leonard, like Prado, said they felt frustrated with Lawler. “ It’s a shame on how he’s been handling Rockland lately, said  He does not seem to listen to what the residents want,” Steven said.

Even though their backgrounds and experiences were pretty different, a common thread came up in their critiques “ He backs Trump too much,” said Steven. 

Jeremiah, another Rockland County resident, complained that Lawler was like other politicians. “The politicians speak down to you,” he said. He said he felt that Lawler and others rarely take his views and concerns into account.

“Lawler does not seem to listen to what the residents want,” Steven Chase said.  Josh Leonard agreed.  “Most of his actions seem to be motivated by his own political interests rather than those of the local community,” he said.

The frustration didn’t end there. As the conversations went on, everyone seemed to share the same sense of disconnect between Lawler and the community he represents. “It kind of feels like he only shows up during election season,”Jeremiah said. 

Steven agreed “You hear what he says, but it just doesn’t line up with what people around here are actually facing,” Steven said.  Meanwhile, Josh took a step back to look at the bigger picture, arguing that “local issues tend to get overlooked when politicians are too caught up in national debates.” Even though their views had slight differences, all three kept coming back to the same worry: voices aren’t truly heard.  The Lawler Campaign did not respond to emails that were sent to get a response about what the community is saying.