President Trump visited Rockland County, New York, on Friday to endorse Rep. Mike Lawler in the battle for the 17th Congressional District, which includes all of Rockland and Putnam counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess.
People lined up early in Suffern to see the president take the stage, but there were protesters with signs, too.
Trump talks tariffs and tax cuts, insults Democrats
Mr. Trump accentuated the positive during an address about the economy that sounded more like a campaign rally.
“We’re doing everything we can to bring New York back and bigger, better, stronger than ever before,” he said.
He warned Democrats are driving successful people and businesses out of New York.
“They’re leaving,” he said. “They’re going to Florida. They’re going to Tennessee. They’re going to Texas.”
Mr. Trump’s stated topic was the economy, but he delivered stream-of-consciousness riffs on topic after topic, what he calls his greatest hits.
“They are dumb-ocrats. You know why? Because their policies are dumb,” he said. “They voted against the Trump Accounts, which provide automatic contributions of $1,000 for every newborn child so they end up being quite wealthy.”
A supporting cast of New Yorkers joined the president on stage, including Lawler and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
“We eliminated taxes on tips and overtime, resulting in a $3,350 tax cut for workers,” Lawler said.
Other speakers included the parents of Sheridan Gorman, a college student from Yorktown who was fatally shot in Chicago in March.
“I’m not a politician. I’m not a public speaker,” father Tom Gorman said. “I’m a father of whose daughter was murdered by an illegal immigrant.”
The president had no trouble drawing a crowd on short notice. The event was announced just three days ago, and 5,000 people requested tickets.
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced the president at the event, and Mr. Trump mentioned him several times during his speech.
After the event, the president headed back to the White House for Memorial Day Weekend.
Protesters removed
It wasn’t all smooth sailing during Mr. Trump’s speech. Numerous protesters interrupted his remarks.
One woman shouted and raised a banner related to the war in Ukraine. Someone in the crowd eventually ripped the banner from her hands, and law enforcement removed her.
Several other protesters had to be removed by authorities as well.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon 
Democrats in Rockland County
Mr. Trump won Rockland County in 2024, garnering far more votes than 2020 winner Joe Biden and more than Hillary Clinton, when she won Rockland in 2016. Still, the president’s visit to Rockland could be a political gamble for Lawler in a district that has 75,000 more Democrats than Republicans.
To some, it might seem that the strategy for Democrats seeking to unseat Lawler is to tie him to the president, whose job approval rating has sunk to 37%, largely because of an unpopular war and the affordability crisis. It’s a complicated district, and experts say Democrats might want to tread lightly on the Trump issue.
“This is a special district. You have a lot more registered Democrats, but you have law enforcement communities, you have moderate Democrats, conservative Democrats,” said J.C. Polanco, a political expert and assistant professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent.
There are a lot of registered Democrats who find Lawler’s positions appealing, but having the president on their home turf was an opportunity for criticism.
“I think that what Rocklanders will see when the president comes is that they are paying more for gasoline,” Democratic congressional candidate Beth Davidson said. “They are seeing their health care premiums double or even triple.”
“Every time you look at gas prices, that is Trump’s foreign policy hurting working people,” Democratic congressional candidate Effie Phillips-Staley said.
“New Yorkers are asking him, what’s wrong with your priorities?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “We don’t want a slush fund. We don’t want a ballroom. We want our prices lower.”
Five Democrats are lining up to challenge Lawler. The primary is June 23.
Lawler’s strategy
Some see the president’s visit as a smart gamble for a congressman not afraid to disagree with his party, a man who fought Republican leaders to win increased tax write-offs for homeowners.
“He’s gonna solidify that base, and we’re gonna see him pivot throughout the summer and the fall to get independents and Democrats over to support him in November,” Polanco said.
Lawler touted his bipartisan bona fides during Friday’s event.
“I’m a Republican who actively works with commonsense Democrats on key issues, someone who is not afraid to challenge his own party’s leaders when I believe they are wrong,” he said.
The strategy appears to be bring the president into the district early enough so you’re not seen as distancing yourself from the party leader, but also early enough for time to win crossover Democrats.
“Timing is critical here. There is the matter of getting Mike Lawler some type of energy behind him at this point in time,” political expert Scott MacFarlane said. “Mike Lawler’s going to want to kind of sidle himself up next to Trump on some things, but not everything.”
The president is also coming to Rockland on the heels of big wins in six states during the May 19 primaries. His endorsements helped defeat some like Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie, who is a frequent Trump critic.
