Cook Political Report Shifts Key New York Race Toward GOP

A step in the right direction…

With less than two weeks until Election Day, a prominent election prognosticator has shifted a congressional race in New York towards Republicans.

Cook Political Report shifted the race in New York’s 17th Congressional District toward incumbent GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, now classifying it as “lean Republican.”

“Despite the partisan lean of the district, Lawler maintains a slight lead over former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones, who held a previous version of this seat for a single term before redistricting scrambled his reelection prospects,” Cook’s Erin Covey wrote Friday.

Lawler has faced some backlash in recent weeks, as the Republican apologized earlier this month for wearing blackface as part of a Halloween costume portraying pop star Michael Jackson during a college party in 2006.

Covey, however, wrote that the incident “doesn’t appear to have had a significant effect on the race, and Jones and his allies have focused much more on tying him to Donald Trump.”

Covey also highlighted the fundraising strength of the Jones campaign, which has raised more money than any other Democratic candidate in New York.

Reports show Jones raised more than $6.4 million, compared to Lawler’s almost $3.3 million. Jones ended with more than $2.3 million cash on hand, while Lawler had nearly $1.9 million.

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