Outgoing Democrat Jared Golden Backs Republican Mike Lawler For Re-Election
Outgoing House Democrat Jared Golden has officially endorsed incumbent Republican Mike Lawler for re-election just ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in New York's 17th Congressional District. Golden, who will leave office after serving since 2019, wrote an opinion piece supporting Lawler's bid and stated the nation requires fewer legislators viewing Congress as a platform while demanding more view it as a job. He described Lawler as a genuine ally and friend to fishing households he will never serve. Lawler, a Republican serving since 2023, accepted the endorsement with gratitude in a post on X. "It's an honor and a privilege to accept the endorsement of my friend, Democratic Congressman Jared Golden," Lawler said. The two lawmakers share a belief that what is best for people should come before party loyalty, even though Lawler faces Democrat Cait Conley, a combat veteran and former National Security Council director, in the upcoming race.
It’s an honor and a privilege to accept the endorsement of my friend, Democratic Congressman Jared Golden. While we are from different parties and different states, Jared and I have worked during our time together in the House to find common ground on issues that matter both to… pic.twitter.com/PN7aRqgFvK
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) September 21, 2026
Golden encouraged voters nationwide to locate legislators who enact laws across party lines and maintain them. Fox News reported he observed that Conley filed in haste and lacked readiness to campaign. The former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently rallied for Conley and said he was "proud to be in Cait's corner." Lawler emphasized that while they are from different parties and states, they found common ground on issues that matter to constituents. He contended that the nation would improve if legislators from both parties adopted such a method. Is there any other way to get things done when the gridlock gets this bad?
In a separate development, Texas Democrat Ericka Lomick suspended her campaign for the state House after a felony fraud conviction resurfaced. After a political action committee released opposition research, Lomick declared her campaign for House District 93 ended on Monday. The research cited a federal mortgage-fraud investigation from 2010 in North Carolina where she was identified as a mortgage broker. Federal court records show she admitted guilt to mortgage-fraud conspiracy and money-laundering conspiracy. She received a 63-month prison sentence that began in 2011. Texas law generally bars individuals convicted of a felony from holding office unless a pardon is granted. Lomick previously informed the Fort Worth Report that no state had ever convicted her of any crime.
Thank you to everyone who showed up to support @CaitforNewYork last night in Tarrytown — the energy was tremendous.
Cait has exactly the kind of toughness we need right now in Congress. While serving in the Army, she deployed to combat zones six times, earned three bronze… pic.twitter.com/qdQFQTjW0a
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) September 17, 2026
"Although this was not an easy decision, I am convinced that it was the right one for the people of HD 93," Lomick said in a press release. Her campaign stated she chose to step aside so voters could elect someone without the burden of defending against attacks. The Texas Secretary of State indicates that finishing a felony sentence alone does not restore running eligibility. Republican Alan Blaylock, an ex-Fort Worth city councilman, is now the probable seat winner. Blaylock informed Texas Scorecard that Lomick rushed her filing and was unprepared for the race. Despite Lomick withdrawing, the Texas Democratic Party still names her the district's official nominee.
Former Democratic insiders are also sharing their reasons for leaving the party machinery this week. Jake Altman, who previously served on the executive board of the Boston chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, stated to Fox News that his departure occurred as the group started to look like "extreme groups on the Left". He characterized an organization in which dissident voices were silenced and the majority of dissidents departed. Lindy Li, a former Democratic National Committee fundraiser, told Fox News that Kamala Harris conducted a "charade" with major donors. Li asserted Harris promised donors Joe Biden would remain while secretly courting those same donors for her own campaign. These accounts depict a leadership class controlling the narrative and excluding anyone refusing to cooperate. What does it mean when the people who fund the machine can't trust the people running it?