WASHINGTON — President Trump will return to his native state of New York on Friday to campaign for one of the most endangered House Republicans in the country — Rep. Mike Lawler.
The campaign-style event at Rockland Community College will focus on affordability and tax cuts, including the two men’s work on a higher cap for state and local tax (SALT).
Lawler told The Post it was important for his constituents to hear directly from the president.
“For folks to be able to hear directly from the president on these issues matters, and my district is certainly not just one of the most competitive in the country, but it’s a district that the president moved significantly,” he said.
Joe Biden won New York’s 17th Congressional District in the 2020 election by 10 points over Trump. But Trump significantly closed the gap four years later and Kamala Harris only carried it by one point in the 2024 contest.
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“There is a significant shift, and certainly I think people are excited to welcome the president,” Lawler noted.
His campaign sent out a sign up link for the event and about 5,000 people have RSVPed, he said.
Economic issues are a top priority for voters headed into the 2026 midterm election. And only 33% of respondents gave Trump their approval in a recent New York Times/Siena poll.
But Trump will spend the day touting his accomplishments when it comes to the economy as he fights to keep his Republican Party in control of the House.
“The president will discuss how he and Republicans in Congress delivered the largest middle-class tax cuts in history — including quadrupling the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000,” White House spokesman Liz Huston said.
“The president will also draw a sharp contrast with Democrats in Congress, who unanimously voted against the Working Families Tax Cuts, which included lifting the SALT cap, eliminating taxes on Social Security, overtime, and tips, and enhancing the Child Tax Credit,” she added.
SALT is a major issue for Lawler’s constituents.
He and other Republican lawmakers with similar districts in high-tax states lobbied congressional leaders and the White House to expand the deduction during negotiations over Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Lawler even risked the president’s fury during the fight but refused to back down. Ultimately, the bill expanded the cap on SALT from $10,000 to $40,000.
“Lifting the cap on SALT, over 90% of my constituents were able to fully deduct their state and local taxes. I think that was a big win for my district, and people saw it in their refund checks,” Lawler said.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Lawler’s district as a “toss up” and Democrats are expected to invest heavily in the race there. Three Democrats have emerged as the top contenders in the June 23 primary: Cait Conley, Beth Davidson and Effie Phillips-Staley.
Friday marks the first time in 50 years a president visited Rockland County.
Lawler has represented the district since 2023 and won the 2024 election by four points.
He passed on a potential run for governor last summer, with urging from President Trump, to seek another term in the House.
