Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., is rolling out a series of reelection ads touting the tax and spending bill that Republicans passed earlier this year in an effort to propel him to victory in a pivotal swing district.
The New York Republican, who dropped out of the state’s gubernatorial race last month, is running for reelection in a district that voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris by a single point in the 2024 presidential election. Lawler told Politico in an interview on Monday that his ads will focus on the bill’s Medicaid provisions, which he claims are not what Democrats make them out to be.
“The reason why Democrats are messaging the way that they are is because they’re trying to frame this as they often do — class warfare — as opposed to the specifics,” Lawler said. “It’s important as we head toward next year to not lose the message on this, but actually explain it to voters in a way that they understand.”
According to Lawler’s ads, which debut on Monday, the law “strengthened the Medicaid program” by adding work requirements for adults and banning undocumented immigrants from taking part in Medicaid services. Another ad notes that the bill raised the cap on state and local tax deductions from $10,000 to $40,000 and the child tax credit, along with eliminating taxes on Social Security for some recipients.
“You have to be on offense, you have to be explaining what you did and why and articulate the case,” Lawler said. “The progressive left is never going to support anything Republicans do. I had folks booing tax cuts, but they’re going to benefit from it as well. It comes down to the middle, and where does the middle fall.”
The ads come after the House Democrat campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, released a digital ad hitting Lawler and his fellow Republicans over the legislation.
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