WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President is heading to a toss-up congressional district in New York on Friday to test his midterm message on the economy, even as voters largely disapprove of his stewardship of it.
Trump will travel to the Hudson Valley area to appear with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who is up for reelection in what will be one of the most closely watched . The focus of the event is to promote the , particularly the quadrupling of the deduction for state and local taxes, which is critical in a high-tax state like New York.
The White House has been looking for more opportunities to highlight Trump鈥檚 economic accomplishments as his approval rating on the economy has slumped. About one-third of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the economy, according to , down slightly from 40% at the start of Trump’s second term. Trump had promised to bring prices down, but gasoline prices have surged this year due to the war in Iran.
Lawler is just one of three House Republicans who in 2024. Unlike the other two 鈥� retiring Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon and Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who鈥檚 been a critic of Trump policies 鈥� Lawler has chosen to embrace the polarizing president in hopes of not alienating Republican voters who support the party鈥檚 leader.
鈥淟ook, the people who hate the president — and that鈥檚 their sole basis for their vote — are likely never voting for me, and you know, obviously, you need to turn out your base, and you need people energized,鈥� Lawler told The Associated Press in an interview on the sidelines of the White House congressional picnic earlier this week. 鈥淢oreover, I have a record in my district that is one I鈥檓 very proud of, and a record that appeals to a broad middle.鈥�
Lawler, wearing a red ball cap emblazoned with 鈥淢r. SALT,鈥� the acronym for the he fought to include in the bill, added: 鈥淚 am confident that I will be reelected on my own merits and my own record.鈥�
The president鈥檚 remarks at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, will 鈥渉ighlight his strong record of making life more affordable for working families,鈥� White House spokesperson Liz Huston said. She added that Trump plans to draw a sharp contrast with Democrats in Congress, who voted against the tax law.
Trump established a SALT cap in 2017 through his Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Last year鈥檚 law to $40,000 from $10,000 after arduous negotiations with Republicans, including Lawler, whose district has high local taxes. The law also raised the average tax refund for New Yorkers to more than $3,800, according to data provided by the White House.
鈥淢y constituents were seeing anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 refund checks, which is pretty massive,鈥� said Lawler, who said he wanted to give Trump one of his 鈥淢r. SALT鈥� ball caps.
Trump last year, although it came at a time when the congressman was publicly mulling a run for governor of New York. was viewed as a way to keep Lawler in a reelection bid rather than opening up a competitive House seat.
Five Democrats are vying for the party’s nomination to compete against Lawler in the general election. The Democratic primary is June 23.
鈥淣othing says 鈥業 don鈥檛 understand my district鈥� quite like Mike Lawler bringing Donald Trump to NY-17 to tout a disastrous economy that鈥檚 crushing working families at every turn,鈥� said Riya Vashi, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Richard Hudson disputed that, arguing that Trump’s Friday appearance will 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� help.
鈥淗is poll numbers are pretty good in Lawler鈥檚 district,鈥� said Hudson, a North Carolina congressman. The NRCC has been polling in competitive districts and Hudson said the 鈥減resident鈥檚 numbers are good. Democratic numbers are tanking.鈥�
The remarks are an official White House event and not a campaign one, said Lawler, who noted that more than 5,000 people registered to attend in the first 12 hours that a sign-up was available.
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Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
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