CARMEL – Despite Putnam County’s support of former Congressman Mondaire Jones bid to win the Working Families Party line endorsement in the 17th Congressional District in November’s general election, final numbers indicate a former Republican from Rockland County who Jones has charged was a “plant” by the GOP, is the winner.
Of the 239 registered Working Families Party line voters in Putnam, 21 endorsed Jones at the ballot box while two others voted for his challenger Anthony Frascone.
On the eve of the Independence Day holiday, Rockland County Board of Elections officials counted 142 outstanding absentee and affidavit ballots which hardened the lead for Frascone.
Jones is challenging Republican Congressman Mike Lawler in a district that encompasses all of Putnam and Rockland in addition to a small section of southern Dutchess and Westchester north of White Plains.
Jones spokeswoman Shannon Geison has maintained that Lawler had manipulated the Working Families primary. “Mondaire Jones is poised to defeat him as the Democratic nominee this fall. When Lower Hudson Valley residents learn of Mike Lawler’s frequent votes against access to abortion and Social Security and Medicare, as well as the fact that he would be a reliable vote for Donald Trump’s dangerous agenda, they will reject him.”
Lawler spokesman Chris Russell strongly disagreed. “The only politician who had a worse month than Joe Biden is Mondaire Jones who is a do-nothing, partisan extremist during his one-term in office.”
Russell described Lawler as the “fourth most bipartisan member in the House who is winning endorsements from law enforcement and labor unions while earning national praise for his leadership in fighting anti-Semitism on college campuses; and is delivering tens of millions in funding for local communities.”
