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GOP Rep. Mike Lawler concedes to Cait Conley in hotly-contested NY House race
Republican incumbent Mike Lawler conceded to Democrat Cait Conley in a closely fought New York House race, a result that could help Democrats shift the balance of power in Washington. Lawler said he believed conceding on election night was the right course, although some ballots in Westchester County had yet to be counted.
With 57% of the vote reported, Conley was leading by about five percentage points. Vote counting was disrupted after updated election programming caused machines across Westchester County to reject ballots; officials secured the affected ballots and planned to process them under bipartisan oversight. A judge gave election officials until 11 a.m. Wednesday to begin counting the remaining ballots.
In short
- Lawler conceded to Conley in a closely contested House race.
- Conley led by about five points with 57% counted.
- Machine problems delayed the count of Westchester ballots.
Explained simply
Mike Lawler is a Republican who represents New York’s 17th congressional district in the US House of Representatives. The House is one of the two chambers of Congress, where elected members vote on federal laws and spending.
Cait Conley is a Democrat and a former Army officer. The district includes parts of the Hudson Valley and Westchester County, and its voters choose one representative for a two-year term.
Control of the House depends on the number of seats won by each party, so closely fought districts can affect which party has more votes. That can shape the passage of legislation and the chamber’s oversight of the government.