House Democrats Secretly Root for Bipartisan Republican to Save Them Money

KEY POINTS

•Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) holds a key battleground seat in New York's 17th District, narrowly carried by Kamala Harris in 2024.
•Republicans are outspending Democrats over 40 to 1 on ads, reserving more than $11 million compared to Democrats' $270,000.
•Democratic leaders debate whether to invest against Lawler due to high media costs and his bipartisan appeal, despite Jeffries' personal dislike.

Meet Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), the GOP's bipartisan golden child in New York’s 17th District—so beloved even Democrats hesitate to pour in cash, because TV ads there cost more than a Tesla dealership’s entire monthly payroll. Kamala Harris barely tipped Lawler’s seat red by half a percent in 2024, but Democrats, juggling $270K like bargain hunters amidst GOP's $11.6 million ad blitz (including $6.7M from the Congressional Leadership Fund alone!), claim they’re not ignoring him, just saving pennies because one wing of the Dems says 'Lawler ain't beatable.' Bonus drama: Lawler and Hakeem Jeffries have a fiery history involving shouting matches outside press conferences and mutual hate lurking just beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Democrats would rather bet on 5 cheaper rookies than one pricey Lawler, who stands as a bipartisan speed bump between them and House control.