MetroFocus: December 8, 2022

> TONIGHT, MEET THE FUTURE CONGRESSMAN WHO DEFIED THE ODDS AND RODE NEW YORK'S RED WAVE TO VICTORY AGAINST ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT MIKE LAWLER SHARES HIS PLAN REPRESENTING A DEEPLY DIVIDED DISTRICT AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪

> THIS IS 'METROFOCUS,' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

> 'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY --

> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

FIRST TERM STAET ASSEMBLY MEMBER MIKE LAWLER SENT SHOCK WAVES THROUGH THE WORLD THIS PAST ELECTION WHEN HE DEFEATED THE POWERFUL CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE SEAN PATRICK MALONEY FOR THE SEAT IN THE 17th DISTRICT.

IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL SURPRISE WINS FOR REPUBLICANS IN NEW YORK, ONE OF THE MOST DEMOCRATIC LEANING STATES IN THE NATION.

IN FACT, EVEN AS THE ANTICIPATED MIDTERM RED WAVE FAILED TO MATERIALIZE THROUGH MOST OF THE COUNTRY, REPUBLICANS HERE IN NEW YORK VASTLY OUTDID EXPECTATIONS, A FACTOR CRUCIAL TO THE GOP TAKING BACK THE HOUSE.

WHY DID NEW YORK REPUBLICANS LARGELY SUCCEED WHEN MANY IN OTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY FAILED?

W WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS VICTORY?

AND WHAT WILL HE BRING TO WASHINGTON?

JOINING US NOW IS CONGRESSMAN-ELECT MICHAEL LAWLER.

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT, LET ME START WITH YOUR OWN ELECTION.

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO PULL OFF THE SURPRISING VICTORY, SURPRISING UPSET AGAINST CONGRESSMAN MALONEY WHO, AS I SAID, WAS THE POWERFUL HEAD OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, THE VERY ORGANIZATION WHOSE TASK IS TO MAKE SURE DEMOCRATS WIN THEIR SEATS IN CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS?

WELL, I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

NUMBER ONE, REDISTRICTING PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE.

IN NEW YORK, WE GOT A FAIR SET OF MAPS AND RATHER THAN BEING GERRYMANDERED DOWN TO FOUR REPUBLICAN SEATS AND 22 DEMOCRATIC SEATS, WE HAD A MAP THAT PRODUCED 11 REPUBLICANS GOING DOWN TO WASHINGTON COME JANUARY.

SECONDARILY, I THINK THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY THAT AT DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED EVERYTHING IN WASHINGTON, ALBANY, AND NEW YORK CITY ALL AT ONCE, AND I THINK VOTERS IN NEW YORK, WHO ARE KNOWN TO BE PRAGMATIC, REALLY WANTED TO RESTORE BALANCE AND COMMON SENSE AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT WE SAW NOT JUST A CLOSE RACE FOR GOVERNOR, BUT PICKUPS AND A NUMBER OF STATES THAT FLIPPED AS WELL.

PRIMARILY I THINK IT WAS THE ISSUES.

VOTERS WERE FOCUSED ON CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

THOSE WERE THE, WHY IS I TALKED ABOUT FROM THE MOMENT I ANNOUNCED FROM END OF MAY THROUGH ELECTION DAY AND NEVER DEVIATED.

MY OPPONENT DIDN'T NUMBER ONE DIDN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES UNTIL THE VERY END AND, NUMBER TWO WAS REALLY NOWHERE TO BE SEEN IN THE DISTRICT.

I WAS DOING SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT EVENTS A DAY TALKING TO VOTERS, CAMPAIGNING IN EVERY COMMUNITY WHILE HE WAS GALAVANTING ACROSS THE GLOBE RAISING MONEY FOR NANCY PELOSI, AND FRANKLY, NOT VERY FOCUSED ON THE DISTRICT.

SO ALL OF THOSE FACTORS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER A WINNING CAMPAIGN, INSTILL MESSAGE DISCIPLINE, AND YOU KNOW, HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND ENOUGH FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT THERE.

WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF LEE ZELDIN?

HE HIMSELF DID NOT WIN, BUT AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET HE'S DONE BETTER THAN REPUBLICANS DONE RUNNING AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET FOR A LONG TIME.

DO YOU BELIEVE HE WAS CRITICAL OF THE VICTORY?

IF SO, WHAT DID HE DO DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAVE NOT DONE IN RECENT PAST?

I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FACTORS.

HE WAS A STRONG TOP OF THE TICKET, HE RAN HARD, AND AGAIN, MESSAGE DISCIPLINE.

HE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF LIVING AND CRIME.

AND THOSE TWO ISSUES OBVIOUSLY PERMEATED COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS OUR STATE.

BUT ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK CITY AND THE SUBURBS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ON TOP OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY GOVERNOR HOCHUL DID NOT HAVE THE LONG-TERM INCUMBENT ADVANTAGE THAT, SAY, ANDREW CUOMO DID WHEN HE RAN FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2014 AND 2018.

FRANKLY, I THINK SHE RAN A HORRIBLE CAMPAIGN HER MESSAGE DID NOT RESONATE WHATSOEVER.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT PLAYED INTO IT, BUT I THINK NEW YORKER S WERE ESPECIALLY UPSET WITH CRIME AND THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE DOUBLED DOWN ON SOME OF THESE POLICIES THAT HAVE LED TO AN INCREASE IN VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS BEING RELEASED BACK ON TO THE STREETS, AND VOTERS WANTED SOME MEASURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I THINK THEY DELIVERED ON, THAT CERTAINLY WITH THE TIGHTNESS OF THE GOVERNOR'S RACE BUT ALSO FLIPPING A NUMBER OF CONGRESSIONAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE SEATS.

AS WE SPEAK, UNLESS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES SINCE WE STARTED TALKING -- AS WE SPEAK, CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN IS -- HAS SAID THAT HE'S INTEREST IN THE RUNNING TO BECOME THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE, WHICH MEANS THAT HE WOULD BE GOING AGAINST THE CURRENT CHAIR, RONNA McDONANIEL WHO WANTS TO KEEP THE JOB.

IF HE RUNS, WOULD YOU SUPPORT HIM IN THAT ROLE?

I SPOKE TO HIM THE OTHER DAY, AND I KNOW HE'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DECIDING WHAT TO DO.

I THINK HE'LL BE MAKING A DECISION IMMINENTLY AS TO WHAT HIS NEXT STEPS ARE, BUT CERTAINLY, SHOULD HE DECIDE TO RUN FOR NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR, I WOULD SUPPORT HIM.

I THINK HE WOULD DO A GREAT JOB RAISING MONEY, BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NECESSARY.

HE'S WON A WHOLE HOST OF COMPETITIVE RACES IN YEARS PAST, AND OBVIOUSLY MADE THIS GOVERNOR'S RACE IN NEW YORK VERY TIGHT.

AND I THINK IT SPEAKS TO HIS KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING AND ABILITIES, AND SO CERTAINLY SHOULD HE DECIDE TO RUN, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT HIM.

WELL, YOU KNOW, DURING RONNA McDANIEL'S TENURE AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE -- SHE START IN THE 2017, SO THREE ELECTION CYCLES WHERE THE REPUBLICANS HAVE LOST THE HOUSE, THEY'VE LOT THE WHITE HOUSE, AND THEY'VE LOST CONTROL OF THE SENATE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT WHETHER LEE ZELDIN RUNS OR NOT, THEY'RE NOT READY TO SUPPORT PER FOR ANOTHER TERM.

THE LEE ZELDIN DOESN'T RUN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE CONTROL OF THE COMMITTEE?

LOOK, I THINK THE POLITICAL PROCESS WILL PLAY ITSELF OUT CERTAINLY IN THE COMING WEEKS AHEAD.

I BELIEVE THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEETING IS SOMETIME IN JANUARY.

AND YOU HAVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHO THE CANDIDATES ARE.

BUT AS I'VE SAID, IF LEE ZELDIN RUNS, I WILL ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT HIM.

I THINK HE'D BE A GREAT FIT FOR THE COMMITTEE.

YOU KNOW, RONNA HAS SOME SUCCESSES TO TALK ABOUT AND OBVIOUSLY SOME LOSSES THAT HAVE BUILT UP DURING HER TENURE.

IT'S ALWAYS EASY TO BLAME THE PARTY CHAIR.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT, AND OFTEN TIMES IT HAS TO DO WITH THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS PROCESS PLAYS OUT IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.

LET'S LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.

THOUGH THE REPUBLICANS DID TAKE BACK CONTROL OF THE HOUSE, 222 SEATS IS WHAT YOU'VE ENDED UP WITH -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG -- BUT IN ANY EVENT, YOU HAVE THAT, BUT YOU STILL DID NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS.

ASIDE FROM NEW YORK AND FLORIDA, REPUBLICANS DIDN'T DO WELL AT ALL.

WHY?

WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK OBVIOUSLY EXPECTATIONS WERE TO GET A FEW MORE SEATS IN THE HOUSE, BUT THE REALITY WAS THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO GET A MAJORITY, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, A MAJORITY IS A MAJORITY, AND SO COME JANUARY, WE WILL BE GOVERNING, YOU KNOW, IN THE HOUSE, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO STOP ONE-PARTY RULE AND STOP THE BIDEN/PELOSI/SCHUMER AGENDA DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.

AND THEY WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH US GOING FORWARD TO GOVERN.

AND THAT WAS ALWAYS THE OBJECTIVE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ALWAYS, SURE, WIN MORE SEATS.

BUT WE WILL HAVE A GOVERNING MAJORITY.

I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHY WE DIDN'T WIN SOME OF THESE OTHER RACES, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY INDEPENDENTS DIDN'T BREAK FOR US IN THE WAY THAT WE THOUGHT THEY MIGHT.

REPUBLICAN ENTHUSIASM WAS CERTAINLY THERE.

THERE ARE OTHER 4 MILLION MORE VOTES FOR REPUBLICAN HOUSE AT CANDIDATES THAN DEMOCRAT HOUSE CANDIDATES NATIONWIDE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE RACES HINGE ON INDEPENDENTS, AND SO CERTAINLY I THINK SOME OF THAT IS A FACTOR OF THE CANDIDATES AND THEIR MESSAGE.

YOU HAVE TO BE FORWARD LOOKING.

YOU HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES FACING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AND I THINK WHERE CANDIDATES WERE NOT NECESSARILY FORWARD LOOKING, THEY LOST.

AND SO THAT'S, TO ME, A BIG LESSON TO LEARN IN THIS PREVIOUS ELECTION CYCLE.

WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK THAT DONALD TRUMP PLAYED IN THE RESULTS OF THESE MIDTERM ELECTIONS?

SOME SAY -- AND MANY REPUBLICANS SAY THAT HE'S LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THE LOSSES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU WROTE AN OP-ED PIECE FOR THE NEW YORK POST WHERE YOU GIVE HIM SOME CREDIT FOR THE WINS IN NEW YORK FOR HAVING MOTIVATED WORKING CLASS FOLKS TO VOTE REPUBLICAN FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN THEY DONE BEFORE.

SO WHICH IT IS?

I THINK DURING HIS TENURE IN WASHINGTON, CERTAINLY, HE WAS ABLE TO GET BLUE COLLAR WORKING CLASS VOTERS TO REALLY MOVE TOWARDS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN A WAY THAT THEY HADN'T PRIOR TO HIS ELECTION, AND SO THAT WAS AN ABILITY TO BUILD A COALITION OF SUPPORT AMONG VOTERS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE INDUSTRIAL MIDWEST AND UPSTATE NEW YORK AND AREAS LIKE THAT WHERE THOSE VOTERS KIND OF FELT FORGOTTEN ABOUT.

BUT I THINK THE REALITY AND WHAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT IS YOU HAVE TO BE FORWARD LOOKING AND YOU HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES, AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT FOCUSED ON THAT, WHEN YOU'RE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, PETTY GRIEVANCES OR PREVIOUS ELECTIONS, FRANKLY I THINK VOTERS HAVE NO INTEREST IN T THAT.

AND I THINK ESPECIALLY INDEPENDENT VOTERS.

AND SO I THINK WE SAW IN SOME OF THESE STATES, LIKE ARIZONA OR GEORGIA OR PENNSYLVANIA WHERE, THAT WAS MORE OF THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.

IT IMPACTED US.

IT IMPACTED US NEGATIVELY WITH RESPECT TO SOME COMPETITIVE RACES.

FROM MY VANTAGE POINT AND WHAT WE DID IN NEW YORK IS I THINK A MODEL AND A LESSON FOR PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO LEARN FROM.

WE WERE HYPERFOCUSED ON TWO ISSUES -- INFLATION AND CRIME.

AND VOTERS, FRANKLY, REWARDED US AND GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GOVERN COME JANUARY.

RELATED TO THAT, YOU HAVE SAID THAT AS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO -- AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO 2024, REPUBLICANS NEED TO LOOK TO NEW LEADERS.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING DONALD TRUMP IN HIS RE-ELECTION BID?

LOOK, THE POLITICAL PROCESS FOR 2024 OBVIOUSLY IS JUST G GETTING UNDER WAY.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY.

AS I'VE SAID IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS, I'D LIKE TO SEE NEW VOICES KIND OF RISE TO THE TOP.

WE HAVE SOME GREAT RISING STARS IN THE PARTY, LIKE RON DeSANTIS.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM STEP FORWARD AND BE PART OF THIS PROCESS.

ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY WILL DECIDE WHO THE NOMINEE IS GOING TO BE, AND WE'LL LET THAT PROCESS PLAY OUT IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD.

YOU DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE CANDIDATE YET, SOMEBODY THAT YOU WOULD DEFINITELY BE COMMITTED TO?

NO, RIGHT NOW I'M FOCUSED ON JANUARY 3rd AND TAKING OFFICE AND WHAT I NEED TO DO ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT.

THAT IS MY PRIMARY FOCUS, AND AS I SAID, WE'LL LET THE POLITICAL PROCESS PLAY ITSELF OUT FOR 2024.

GOING BACK TO THE MIDTERMS, IF THE SUPREME COURT HAD NOT RELEASED THE -- ITS DOBBS DECISION, THE DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE MIDTERMS, DO YOU THINK THE RESULTS OF THE MIDTERMS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT?

AND DO YOU THINK THAT ISSUE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO MOTIVATE DEMOCRATS IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS?

THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT DECISION MOTIVATED DEMOCRATIC VOTERS.

I ALSO THINK IT REALLY DEPENDED ON THE STATE.

IN STATES LIKE NEW YORK, WHERE, YOU KNOW, ABORTION IS LEGAL UP UNTIL THE MOMENT OF BIRTH, YOU KNOW, VOTERS BELIEVED IT WAS SETTLED, SO IT WASN'T AS BIG OF AN ISSUE AS, SAY, IN A STATE LIKE KANSAS WHERE IT WAS PUT ON THE BALLOT, OR OTHER STATES WHERE THERE WAS PROPOSITIONS TO BAN ABORTION OR SEVERELY LIMIT IT.

SO I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY IMPACTED IN SOME OF THESE STATES.

THERE'S NO QUESTION DEMOCRATS WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE THIS ISSUE AS A WEDGE, BOTH IN TERMS OF MOTIVATING THEIR BASE BUT ALSO DIVIDING, YOU KNOW, SWING VOTERS AND INDEPENDENTS.

AND I THINK REPUBLICANS NEED TO HAVE AN ANSWER ON IT.

YOU KNOW, DURING THE CAMPAIGN, I ADDRESSED IT HEAD ON.

I AM PERSONALLY PRO LIFE.

THAT WAS A DECISION THAT WAS REAFFIRMED FOR ME WHEN MY WIFE AND I HAD A MISCARRIAGE A FEW YEARS AGO.

BUT I HAD SAID MANY TIMES I WAS OPPOSED TO A NATIONAL BAN AND WOULD NOT SUPPORT ONE, AND I DO BELIEVE IN EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE, INCEST, AND THE LIFE AND HEALTH OF THE MOTHER.

MY OPPONENT SUPPORTED ABORTION UP TO THE MOMENT OF BIRTH.

HE BELIEVED NONDOCTORS SHOULD PERFORM ABORTIONS, AND WE BELIEVE IN THE A BAN ON PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.

THAT WAS THE EXTREME POSITION, AND I THINK WHEN VOTERS ARE GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN MY POSITION AND HIS, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT MINE IS THE MORE SENSIBLE AND REASONABLE POSITION TO HAVE.

YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING TRUMP'S LEAD, MANY REPUBLICANS WERE HOPING -- AND SOME ARE STILL HOPING -- TO END OR SERIOUSLY LIMIT EARLY VOTING, VOTING BY MAIL AND SO-CALLED BALLOT HARVESTING.

THAT'S WHEN A THIRD PARTY COLLECTS VOTES FROM A PLACE LIKE A NURSING HOME OR A BUILDING AND THEN DELIVERS THOSE VOTES TO A DROP BOX OR A POLLING SITE.

REPUBLICANS WANTED THEN, MANY DID, BUT THEY'RE HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS.

THEY THINK WHAT IT IS, AND REPUBLICANS HAVE TO CATCH UP WITH THE DEMOCRATS.

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT?

WELL, LOOK, EARLY VOTING I SUPPORT.

WE'VE PASSED LEGISLATION HERE IN NEW YORK TO EXPAND ACCESS TO EARLY VOTING.

FRANKLY I EVEN WON EARLY VOTING IN ROCKLAND COUNTY, A 2 TO 1 DEMOCRATIC COUNTY.

SO EARLY VOTING TO ME IS NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL.

I SUPPORT THE ABILITY OF VOTERS TO VOTE BY MAIL.

OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY WHO IS LEGALLY ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ARE THE ONES THAT GET ACCESS TO BALLOTS.

SO ELECTION INTEGRITY CERTAIN SLY IS CRITICAL AND EVERYONE SHOULD SUPPORT ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTIONS.

I DO NOT SUPPORT BALLOT HARVESTING.

I THINK THAT IS -- JUST BREEDS CORRUPTION IN OUR ELECTION PROCESS.

I THINK THE IDEA OF ONE PERSON OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND COLLECTING BALLOTS IS JUST INAPPROPRIATE.

YOU KNOW, THE ONLY PERSON WHO SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S BALLOT IS THEMSELVES OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE TO HELP THEM IF THEY ARE, YROU KNOW, DISABLED, INCAPACITATED TO A DEGREE.

BUT AT THI THINK THE REALITY HE THERE NEEDS TO BE CERTAIN SAFEGUARDS PUT IN PLACE.

N NOW, WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION, IF THESE LAWS ARE IN PLACE THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU OPERATE WITHIN THE LAW.

AND SO IN SOME STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA, BALLOT HARVESTING IS LEGAL AND I THINK YOU SAW THIS YEAR REPUBLICANS IN CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW, UTILIZED THE LAW.

WITH RESPECT TO BALLOT HARVESTING.

AND THEY DID WELL IN MANY CONGRESSIONAL RACES.

IT'S THE SAME THING WITH EARLY VOTING.

YOU CAN STOMP YOUR FEET, BUT ONCE EARLY VOTING IS THERE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE AND, YOU KNOW, FWANK VOTE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR REPUBLICANS, THE LESSON TO LEARN CERTAINLY IS IF THE LAW IS IN PLACE, JUST SAYING YOU DON'T LIKE IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

IF THE LAW IS IN PLACE, OPERATE WITHIN IT.

AS YOU SAID, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE MAJORITY OF THE REPUBLICANS IS GOING TO BE VERY SLIM INDEED, WHICH MEANS THAT WHOEVER'S LEADING THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS IS GOING TO NEED THE UNITY OF JUST ABOUT EVERY MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE.

TALL ORDER GIVEN THE DEEP DIVISIONS THAT EXIST AMONG HOUSE REPUBLICANS.

DOES THAT CONCERN YOU, HOW THAT WILL AFFECT THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA?

NO, NOT REALLY.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, AS A CONFERENCE, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES AND THESE ISSUES.

OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO TRY AND KEEP, ESPECIALLY WITH A SMALL MAJORITY, YOU WANT TO TRY AND KEEP THE MEMBERS TOGETHER.

SO THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO UNIFY THE CONFERENCE, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFLATION AND THE COST OF LIVING AND REIGNING IN THE OUT-OF-CONTROL SPENDING OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PARENTAL BILL OF RIGHTS TO ENSURE PARENTS, NOT BUREAUCRATS OR THE TEACHER'S UNION HAS CONTROL OVER THE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SECURING THE BOARDER AND STOPPING THE MASSIVE INFLOW OF NOT ONLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BUT FENTANYL COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND INCREASING DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF ENERGY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF UNIFYING ISSUES AND IDEAS THAT I THINK THE CONFERENCE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH.

AND THE OBJECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY, WOULD BE TO KEEP THE CONFERENCE TOGETHER WHILE WORKING WITH THE DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED SENATE AND THE WHITE HOUSE TO GET OUR AGENDA THROUGH.

NOW, KEVIN McCARTHY, THE CURRENT MINORITY LEADER VYING TO BECOME THE SPEAKER, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO VOTES YET, DOESN'T YET HAVE THE VOTES AT LEAST AS WE SPEAK TO BECOME THE SPEAKER.

DOES THAT CONCERN YOU?

DOES THAT CONCERN YOU THE FIGHT FOR SPEAKERSHIP MIGHT ROYAL THE AGENDA, THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA YOU JUST OUTLINED?

AND DO YOU INTEND TO SUPPORT CONGRESSMAN McCARTHY AS SPEAKER?

YEAH, SO WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH AWAY FROM JANUARY 3rd, A LITTLE LESS, AND CERTAINLY A MONTH IS A LONG TIME IN POLITICS TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE.

THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY IN THE CONFERENCE SUPPORTED KEVIN McCARTHY IN OUR LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS TO BE OUR SPEAKER DESIGNEE, AND I'M CONFIDENT HE'LL HAVE THE REQUISITE NUMBER OF VOTES TO BECOME SPEAKER COME JANUARY.

THERE'S NO QUESTION THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT ARE VOICING THEIR OPPOSITION TO HIS ELECTION AS SPEAKER, BUT THE CONFERENCE IS NOT GOING TO BE HELD HOSTAGE BY THEM.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE CONFERENCE SUPPORTS KEN.

I'LL BE VOTING FOR HIM AND ONLY FOR KEVIN McCARTHY AS SPEAKER.

THE OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE IN A CONFERENCE, THERE'S GOING TO BE DIVERSE OPINIONS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GOT TO WORK THROUGH IT AND GET EVERYBODY ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, AND I BELIEVE WE'LL GET THERE.

NOW, YOU WON YOUR SEAT BY LESS THAN 1%, AND IT'S A SWING DISTRICT IN A VERY BLUE STATE.

SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU'RE VULNERABLE INDEED AS A RESULT OF ALL THAT.

BUT OTHERS SAY, LOOK, BECAUSE THE CAUCUS -- THE LEADER -- THE -- THE CONTROL OF THE HOUSE BY REPUBLICANS IS SO SLIM THEY'RE GOING TO NEED YOUR VOTE ALMOST EVERY TIME, WHICH MEANS YOU'LL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS, WHICH MEANS YOU'LL BE MORE IMPORTANT IN THE HOUSE.

GIVEN THAT, HOW CAN YOU PARLAY THAT TO THE BENEFIT OF THE MEMBERS OF YOUR DISTRICT?

WELL, THERE'S NO QUESTION THIS IS A BIDEN PLUS TEN DISTRICT.

IT'S A D PLUS THREE ON THE COOK PVI RATINGS.

BUT I WAS THE ONLY REPUBLICAN TO DEFEAT AN INCUMBENT IN A BIDEN PLUS TEN DISTRICT.

THESE OTHER DISTRICTS WERE OPEN SEATS.

AND SO I THINK IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE CAMPAIGN WE RAN, THE MESSAGE WE HAD, AND MY ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH VOTERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD A COALITION, NOT JUST TO DEFEAT AN INCUMBENT, BUT THE CHAIR OF THE DCCC IN A RACE THAT OVER $22 MILLION WAS SPENT IN.

SO I THINK SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT THINK, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION COME 2024 ARE SEVERELY MISCALCULATING.

WITH RESPECT TO, YOU KNOW, THE CONFERENCE AND MY PLACE IN IT, LOOK, CERTAINLY NEW YORK DELIVERED THE MAJORITY.

WE ARE SENDING 11 REPUBLICANS DOWN TO WASHINGTON INSTEAD OF FOUR BASED ON THE MAPS THAT THE DEMOCRATS TRIED TO GERRYMANDER, SO THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A MAJORITY AND NOT.

AND I THINK ALL OF US IN THE NEW YORK DELEGATION AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS THAT ARE IN BIDEN DISTRICTS -- THERE'S 16 OF US -- ARE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH LEADERSHIP AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATION THAT IS COMING TO THE FLOOR IS LEGISLATION THAT WE SUPPORT AND THAT IS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.

I'M NOT LOOKING TO BE SOMEBODY WHO, YOU KNOW, IS CONSTANTLY HOLDING THE CONFERENCE OHIO STATAGE ON BILLS.

BUT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WEIGH IN AND HAVE A VOICE AND A SEAT AT THE TABLE, AND I WILL ABSOLUTELY USE THAT ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HERE IN NEW YORK ARE REPRESENTED.

WE HAVE LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES LEFT AND I REALLY WANT TO GET INTO IT.

COULD YOU QUICKLY TELL US WHAT PRIORITIES YOU WILL BE BRINGING TO WASHINGTON?

THE PRIORS THAT I RAN ON.

YOU KNOW, THE COST OF LIVING IS OBVIOUSLY CRITICAL.

WE PAY AMONG THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAXES IN AMERICA.

I WANT TO LIFT THE CAP ON SALT, REIGN IN RECKLESS OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING IN WASHINGTON, HELP REDUCE INFLATION, INCREASE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF THE ENERGY, SECURE OUR BORDER AND ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING WITH RESPECT TO IMMIGRATION.

MY WIFE IS AN IMMIGRANT, SO THIS IS NOT A FUNCTION OF BEING AGAINST IMMIGRATION, IT'S A FUNCTION OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS.

I WANT TO TACK ITLE THE FENTANY CRISIS THAT'S IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENSURE THAT PARENTS, NOT BUREAUCRATS, HAVE THE FINAL SAY WITH RESPECT TO THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.

THOSE ARE THE ISSUES I RAN ON.

THAT'S WHAT MY FOCUS IS AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO WORK ON JANUARY 3rd.

SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO NEED -- ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO NEED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

IT'S A VERY DIVIDED WASHINGTON, AND IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.

ARE YOU SANGUINE?

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC YOU CAN GET BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR YOUR ISSUES?

ABSOLUTELY.

I HAVE AMONG THE MOST BIPARTISAN VOTING RECORDS IN ALBANY AS A MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND I WILL BRING EXACTLY WHAT I'VE DONE UP THERE, TALKING TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, SITTING DOWN, BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, INTRODUCING LEGISLATION THAT IS IMPORTANT TO EVERY COMMUNITY REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION.

THAT'S HOW YOU GET THINGS DONE.

AND IN A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, WHICH WE'VE KNOWN WELL IN NEW YORK FOR MANY YEARS -- THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THE STATE SENATE.

YOU CAN GET THINGS DONE IF YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE, TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO TACK IT WILL ISSUES THAT IMPACT EVERY COMMUNITY, EVERY DISTRICT, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'LL DO.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MINUTE LEFT, AND I REALLY WANT TO GET YOUR ANSWER ON THIS.

REPUBLICAN LEADERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING TO USE THEIR MAJORITY TO INVESTIGATE HUNTER BIDEN'S LAPTOP, AND NOT SO MUCH HUNTER BIDEN BUT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S ROLE IN THE BUSINESS DEALS THAT HIS SON DID WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S A GOOD USE OF THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY?

LISTEN, OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATION IS CERTAINLY A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOUSE.

WE HAVE SEEN IN RECENT YEARS AT TIMES THAT HAS BEEN ABUSED FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES.

I THINK THE OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, ENSURE THERE ARE FACTS AND EVIDENCE THAT WARRANT INVESTIGATION.

AND CERTAINLY IF THERE ARE THEN THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOUSE.

AND IF THERE AREN'T THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE SPENDING OUR TIME IN.

OKAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END IT THERE.

I GOT A MILLION OTHER QUESTIONS BUT WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK ON THE PROGRAM ONCE YOU BECOME CONGRESSMAN LAWLER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

> 'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY --