Mon Sep 23 22:23:52 UTC 2024: ## Close Race in New York’s 17th District: Jones Closing Gap on Lawler, Poll Shows

**Rockland County, NY** – A recent poll commissioned by former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones shows a tightening race in the 17th Congressional District, with incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Lawler holding a narrow lead. The poll, conducted by GBAO, surveyed 500 likely voters between August 8th and September 18th.

The poll shows Lawler leading Jones by a margin of just two points, 47% to 45%, with 7% undecided. In a three-way race, which includes Working Families Party candidate Anthony Frascone, Lawler leads with 46% while Jones stands at 43%, with Frascone capturing 5% of the vote.

This represents a significant shift from an earlier poll in August which showed Lawler with a 7-point lead over Jones. The recent surge in support for Jones comes after a sustained campaign by Democrats to attack Lawler’s record on abortion, which they hope will resonate with voters.

While the poll shows a tightening race, Lawler’s campaign maintains that he is in a strong position going into the election. They pointed to Jones’s low favorability rating, highlighting his “radical and extreme record.” They also emphasized Lawler’s fundraising advantage, fueled by support from “far-left special interests.”

The 17th District, encompassing the lower Hudson Valley, is a battleground area, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a significant margin. Jones, seeking to reclaim his seat after losing in the 10th District in 2022, is hoping to capitalize on the current political climate to propel him back into Congress.

The poll results suggest a close race, with a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.4 percentage points. The election outcome will likely depend on how successful Jones and his team are in mobilizing Democratic voters and swaying undecided voters on issues like abortion.

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