Seven Democrats seeking party nomination
Seven Democrats who have announced bids for the 17th Congressional District seat held by Rep. Mike Lawler will appear on Thursday (Aug. 7) at a forum being hosted in Carmel by the party’s committees from Dutchess and Putnam counties.
The candidates will answer questions from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sedgewood Boat House, 1026 Barrett Circle West in Carmel. Residents of the district, which includes Philipstown, also can watch via Zoom at dub.sh/district17-forum (passcode: EbZ3Gg), or register at putnamdemocrats.com/CD-17forum to see a stream of the event.
The candidates are:
■ Peter Chatzky, a tech company founder and village trustee in Briarcliff Manor;
■Cait Conley, a 2007 West Point graduate from Orange County who is former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council;
■ Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator;
■ Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee who is a nonprofit executive;
■ Jessica Reinmann, who founded the nonprofit 914Cares in Westchester County;
■ Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester; and
■ John Sullivan, a former FBI intelligence analyst who lives in Rockland County.
After flirting with challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul in next year’s governor’s race, Lawler announced last month his intention to pursue another two-year term in the House. His seat, which includes all of Putnam and Rockland counties, and parts of Westchester and Dutchess, is considered one of 35 battleground districts by Democrats, who hope to regain control of the U.S. House next year.
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination can “anticipate significant investment” from the party, according to the Dutchess and Putnam committees.
