Politics

Congressional Candidate Mondaire Jones Releases First Campaign Ad: “Dirt Path”

Published

6 years ago

November 15, 2019

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY – Democratic Congressional candidate for NY-17 Mondaire Jones released his first campaign ad, “Dirt Path.”

In the video, Jones, a 32-year-old old former Obama Administration staffer, community leader, attorney and lifelong Rockland county resident, talks about the racism his grandparents faced in the Jim Crow South and the civil rights crises our country faces again today. He was raised in Spring Valley by a single mother who worked multiple jobs and still needed to rely on Section 8 housing and food stamps. Mondaire attended East Ramapo public schools and Stanford University before graduating from Harvard Law.

Watch the video below:

White kids used to spit on my grandfather while he walked to school in the Jim Crow South.

Now I’m running to be the first black, openly gay Congressmember in America. Watch our first campaign ad & help us make history: https://t.co/rxvQCmja2O pic.twitter.com/B5QFioKBr8

— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) November 14, 2019

“My grandfather used to tell me a story about how when he would walk to school growing up in Virginia, there were white students who got to take the bus. And they would spit on him through the school bus windows as he was walking the dirt path on his way to school. I was raised by a single mother who worked multiple jobs, and we still needed food stamps to get by,” NY-17 Congressional Candidate Mondaire Jones says in the ad. “I didn’t come from money. I’m black, I’m gay, and so I don’t see people like me in office very often.”

In his bid for New York’s 17th Congressional District, Mondaire has already picked up endorsements from a dozen local elected officials including The Victory Fund and The Collective PAC, and pulled in a Q3 fundraising haul of more than $218,000. If elected, Mondaire will be the first openly gay, black member of Congress.

Politics

Brett Yagel Announces Candidacy for New York State Assembly in 96th District

Published

3 months ago

January 19, 2026

Rockland Report Editor

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Brett Yagel, the former Mayor of the Village of Pomona has officially announced his candidacy for the New York State Assembly in the 96th District.

Below you can read Yagel’s full announcement:

“I am proud to announce that I am seeking the support of the Republican and Conservative Parties as a candidate for the New York State Assembly in the 96th District.
I am not a career politician. I am a problem solver. As Mayor and as a professional working for one of the world’s largest defense contractors, I have spent my career focused on results, accountability, and getting complex jobs done the right way. Leadership and responsibility are not abstract concepts to me. They are values I have lived every day in public service and in the private sector.

Albany is broken. It is dominated by career politicians who create problems, expand government, and then ask for more power to fix the very messes they created. The people of the 96th District deserve better than politics as usual.

Our district needs a leader with real world experience, common sense, and the courage to challenge the status quo. I am ready to bring accountability, fiscal responsibility, and practical,
results driven solutions to Albany. Most importantly, I will be a strong and independent voice for the hardworking families of the 96th District.

If you are tired of excuses and ready for real results, I would be honored to earn your support.”

Yagel will running against incumbent Assemblyman Patrick Carroll.

Politics

Congressman Mike Lawler Announces Bid for Reelection to Congress, Will Not Run for Governor

Published

9 months ago

July 23, 2025

Rockland Report Editor

Rockland County, NY — Congressman Mike Lawler, a lifelong Rockland County resident and graduate of Suffern High School, officially announced today that he will seek reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives, putting to rest speculation that he might enter the race for Governor of New York.

Lawler, who represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, said his decision to remain focused on Congress reflects his commitment to continuing the work he’s started on behalf of Hudson Valley residents. Since taking office in January 2023, Lawler’s office has closed over 6,000 constituent service cases and successfully returned more than $27.2 million to residents throughout the district.

One of his signature achievements has been his leadership in reforming the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap. Under Lawler’s advocacy, the SALT cap was quadrupled to $40,000, providing significant tax relief to middle-class families across the region for the next ten years.

Lawler’s decision not to run for governor preserves his role as a key Republican voice in a competitive swing district, and positions him for what is expected to be a closely watched race in 2026.
About Congressman Mike Lawler:

New York’s 17th Congressional District, includes Rockland and portions of Westchester and Putnam County.