On The Ballot: Running, Conservative, Republican for U.S. House (NY) - District 17
Mike Lawler has failed to provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2024 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.
For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2024.
Pro-life | a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation? | ||
Yes | b) Do you support legalizing abortion when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? | ||
c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions? | |||
Access to abortion rights has been legal in the state of New York for several decades. I would not have supported the expansion of late-term abortion up to the day of birth or the allowance of non-doctors to perform abortions, endangering the safety of both the mother and the child. Finally, I would not have eliminated the criminal penalties associated with the murder or assault of a pregnant woman who loses their child as a result of violence. |
No | a) In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions? | ||
No | b) In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket? | ||
New York state needs to reduce taxes and spending in order to balance their budget and make New York a more affordable place to live, work, and retire. |
No | a) Do you support a limit on campaign contributions to state candidates? | ||
No | b) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions? | ||
Yes | c) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting? | ||
Yes | d) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls? | ||
No | e) Do you support automatic voter registration? | ||
We need a truly independent commission for redistricting. We should be making it easier for New Yorkers to vote, I would support a vote-by-mail system, which includes no-excuse absentee balloting - however, an individual should still be required to register of their own accord and apply to vote by mail. |
Yes | a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? | ||
Yes | b) Should an individual under 18 accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? | ||
Yes | c) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police? | ||
d) Do you support the use of private prisons in New York? | |||
No | e) Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders? | ||
No | f) Do you support eliminating cash bail for all crimes? | ||
The disastrous cashless bail law should be rolled back and done over with law enforcement's input and allow for judicial discretion. We should be seeking to reduce prison sentences for non-violent offenders, and non-violent drug offenders should be pushed towards rehabilitation. If an individual under 18, within reason, commits a violent crime, they should be tried as an adult. |
Yes | a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
Yes | b) Do you support lowering state income taxes as a means of promoting economic growth? | ||
Yes | c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector? | ||
d) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits? | |||
e) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of New York? | |||
f) Do you support requiring employers to provide paid family leave? | |||
Yes | g) Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19? | ||
Yes | h) Do you support the legalization of mobile sports betting and wagering? | ||
As Assemblyman I will seek to lower taxes, cut red tape, invest in critical infrastructure and make it easier for businesses and taxpayers alike to succeed in our state. |
a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in New York? | |||
Yes | b) Do you support state funding for charter schools? | ||
c) Do you support increasing teacher salaries AND/OR benefits in New York? | |||
No | d) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from New York high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? | ||
I support providing each and every child in my district with access to a quality, affordable education. I do not support using taxpayer money to provide free college tuition to illegal immigrants. |
Yes | a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)? | ||
Yes | b) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions? | ||
Yes | c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives? | ||
I am in favor of renewable energy and support efforts to preserve open space and ensure clean air and clean water for all New Yorkers. However, I believe more must be done to ensure access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy, which includes natural gas. |
No | a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation? | ||
Yes | b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? | ||
No | c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom after passing gun safety training? | ||
No | d) Should a license be required for gun ownership? | ||
I support law-abiding citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights. However, I do support background checks, increased penalties for the use of illegal guns, and measures to address mental health and domestic violence. |
Yes | a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse? | ||
No | b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through New York's health care programs? | ||
No | c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance? | ||
No | d) Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia? | ||
No | e) Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations? | ||
f) Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19? | |||
g) Do you support suspending rent payments for at least 90 days during public health crises, such as COVID-19? | |||
h) Other or expanded principles: |
Yes | a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in New York's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
Yes | b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in New York's anti-discrimination laws? | ||
c) Do you support greater efforts by New York state government in closing the pay gap between men and women? | |||
d) Do you support requiring all public female-designated restrooms to provide free feminine hygiene products? | |||
e) Other or expanded principles: |
As Assemblyman, I'll fight to ensure that our local schools receive the full funding they deserve, and unlike my opponent, I'll never vote to cut state aid to OUR schools. I will also fight to fix the unfair state aid formula that has short-changed Rockland County schools for years. Rockland County pays the second-highest property taxes in America and that has to end. By fixing the state aid formula, we can lower property taxes and make our county affordable again. | |||
My top legislative priority is to repeal the reckless cashless bail law that my opponent co-sponsored. It has put our public safety at risk and removed any safeguards our criminal justice system had in place to prevent repeat offenders from hurting innocent victims again and again. We must work to ensure equality and justice for all New Yorkers, but we cannot do that without close coordination with law enforcement, who make sacrifices every day to keep our communities safe. |
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