During her kick-off campaign on Wednesday for New York’s 17th District race in the 2026 midterms, Beth Davidson drew a large crowd at the restaurant Nyack Social. And it is sure to be one of the most contentious in the country as the result will impact the small margin of control in the divided House of Representatives, as well as President Trump’s plan for legislation.
Beth has gained the endorsement of Rep. Mondaire Jones, the democrat who formerly held this seat. He has stated that with Beth’s ties to Rockland County, strong ability for fundraising, and her political framework in the county, she will make a strong candidate and be able to defeat Mike Lawler in the upcoming race.
Beth, 52 years old, is a Nyack resident and mother of two who secured a legislative seat in 2023 following her two terms on the Nyack School Board. During Beth’s speech on Wednesday night, some of the people who spoke are Jovan C. Richards, president of the N.Y. State Young Democrats, declaring, “Beth is genuine…someone out there making a difference. She sets a path forward, has passion and drive, and desires to do the work required to take back that seat.” Mayor Joe Rand and Assemblyman Patrick Carroll spoke and both hailed Beth’s run with Carroll stating, “Ms. Davidson is a dedicated leader across the party lines. Rocklanders need someone with a proven track record. With this race, we can have a check and balance in Congress.”
Beth has emphasized that running for Congress for this community has been the honor of her lifetime. She reflected on her accomplishments with the Rockland County Legislature noting, “I am one of the only democrats in the country who can say that I have reached across the aisle to pass bipartisan tax relief, common sense gun safety legislation, and increased funding for our nonprofits. We have shown that working together in a divided government is the only way to get things done. And I will do the same in Congress.”
Ms. Davidson will be running against Jessica Reinnman, a non-profit executive in Westchester (announced) and Neil Zuckerman, a U.S. Army veteran and management consultant (not yet announced).