Lawler Works to Sow Chaos in Democratic Primary for His Battleground House Seat
The video has sparked criticism from Conley's campaign, with her spokesperson calling it a "desperate attempt" by Lawler to "smear" their candidate. The spokesperson added that Conley has been transparent about her work with Primer AI, and that her role involves working on projects related to disaster response and humanitarian aid.
Lawler's campaign has not responded to requests for comment on the video, but the congressman has continued to tweet about Conley's work with Primer AI, accusing her of being "evasive" about her role with the company. The tweets have been widely shared by Republican activists and supporters, and have helped to keep the issue in the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Davidson's campaign has been relatively quiet on the issue, with her spokesperson saying only that she is focused on her own campaign and is not paying attention to Lawler's tactics. However, some Democrats have expressed concern that Lawler's attacks on Conley could ultimately benefit Davidson, who has been struggling to gain traction in the primary.
As the primary election approaches, Lawler's involvement in the Democratic contest is likely to remain a major issue. While it is unclear whether his tactics will ultimately succeed in weakening Conley's campaign, they have already sparked a heated debate about the role of Republicans in Democratic primaries. With the outcome of the primary still uncertain, one thing is clear: the general election in New York's 17th congressional district is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and closely watched in the country.
In response to his involvement in the primary, the Democrats he has elevated — and attacked — have tried to use his meddling to propel their own campaigns. Effie Phillips-Staley seized on the opportunity, stating, "Mike Lawler should be worried, Donald Trump should be worried, because what this campaign will do is put people first," after Trump's post. Her campaign has also sought to fundraise off Lawler's ballot access lawsuit.
Conley believes Lawler's focus on her is a testament to her strength as a candidate, saying, "As a veteran, I'm no stranger to winning high stakes, hard fights, and Mike Lawler knows that which is why he's so desperate to not face me this November." She emphasized that her unique background and the coalition she is building make her a formidable opponent.
Conley has defended her work for tech companies, stating that it involves developing systems to protect people from terrorist attacks and has no connection to immigration. She accused her opponents of acting in bad faith to smear her.
Lawler's campaign has also taken steps to influence the primary outcome behind the scenes, particularly with key constituencies in the district. According to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Lawler's staffer, Rafi Silberberg, has been reaching out to ultra-Orthodox Jewish leadership in Rockland County, encouraging them to support Davidson.
Davidson's campaign, however, maintains that she earned the endorsement on her own merit. Her campaign manager, Ellen McCormick, stated, "Beth Davidson has earned endorsements from every corner of this district and so many of its diverse communities... because she has stepped up to lead and delivered results." McCormick dismissed any suggestion that Lawler's involvement played a role in securing the endorsement.
The involvement of a super PAC, Progressive Champions PAC, has further fueled concerns among Democrats that the GOP is attempting to undermine Conley's campaign. The PAC's nearly $1 million TV ad spend against Conley has raised suspicions due to its use of the same Alabama bank as another PAC with ties to Republicans. This has prompted Davidson to publicly disavow the PAC and caught the attention of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who resides in the district.
Clinton took to social media to denounce the PAC's involvement, stating, "As my fellow Democrats in New York's 17th congressional district head to the polls to choose our nominee from a talented group of candidates, a dark money Republican group is trying to manipulate the outcome of this and other key primaries." Davidson's campaign reiterated that Lawler's preferences in the primary are irrelevant to their mission, with McCormick saying, "We're not focused on what Mike Lawler wants... We're focused on the voters of NY-17, and they will decide on Tuesday night who they want to represent them in Congress next January."
Lawler's campaign has not responded to requests for comment on the video, but the congressman has continued to tweet about Conley's work with Primer AI, accusing her of being "evasive" about her role with the company. The tweets have been widely shared by Republican activists and supporters, and have helped to keep the issue in the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Davidson's campaign has been relatively quiet on the issue, with her spokesperson saying only that she is focused on her own campaign and is not paying attention to Lawler's tactics. However, some Democrats have expressed concern that Lawler's attacks on Conley could ultimately benefit Davidson, who has been struggling to gain traction in the primary.
As the primary election approaches, Lawler's involvement in the Democratic contest is likely to remain a major issue. While it is unclear whether his tactics will ultimately succeed in weakening Conley's campaign, they have already sparked a heated debate about the role of Republicans in Democratic primaries. With the outcome of the primary still uncertain, one thing is clear: the general election in New York's 17th congressional district is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and closely watched in the country.
In response to his involvement in the primary, the Democrats he has elevated — and attacked — have tried to use his meddling to propel their own campaigns. Effie Phillips-Staley seized on the opportunity, stating, "Mike Lawler should be worried, Donald Trump should be worried, because what this campaign will do is put people first," after Trump's post. Her campaign has also sought to fundraise off Lawler's ballot access lawsuit.
Conley believes Lawler's focus on her is a testament to her strength as a candidate, saying, "As a veteran, I'm no stranger to winning high stakes, hard fights, and Mike Lawler knows that which is why he's so desperate to not face me this November." She emphasized that her unique background and the coalition she is building make her a formidable opponent.
Conley has defended her work for tech companies, stating that it involves developing systems to protect people from terrorist attacks and has no connection to immigration. She accused her opponents of acting in bad faith to smear her.
Lawler's campaign has also taken steps to influence the primary outcome behind the scenes, particularly with key constituencies in the district. According to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Lawler's staffer, Rafi Silberberg, has been reaching out to ultra-Orthodox Jewish leadership in Rockland County, encouraging them to support Davidson.
Davidson's campaign, however, maintains that she earned the endorsement on her own merit. Her campaign manager, Ellen McCormick, stated, "Beth Davidson has earned endorsements from every corner of this district and so many of its diverse communities... because she has stepped up to lead and delivered results." McCormick dismissed any suggestion that Lawler's involvement played a role in securing the endorsement.
The involvement of a super PAC, Progressive Champions PAC, has further fueled concerns among Democrats that the GOP is attempting to undermine Conley's campaign. The PAC's nearly $1 million TV ad spend against Conley has raised suspicions due to its use of the same Alabama bank as another PAC with ties to Republicans. This has prompted Davidson to publicly disavow the PAC and caught the attention of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who resides in the district.
Clinton took to social media to denounce the PAC's involvement, stating, "As my fellow Democrats in New York's 17th congressional district head to the polls to choose our nominee from a talented group of candidates, a dark money Republican group is trying to manipulate the outcome of this and other key primaries." Davidson's campaign reiterated that Lawler's preferences in the primary are irrelevant to their mission, with McCormick saying, "We're not focused on what Mike Lawler wants... We're focused on the voters of NY-17, and they will decide on Tuesday night who they want to represent them in Congress next January."
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