Two endangered Republican lawmakers from NYC suburbs are using the anniversary of the Oct. 7 terror attacks to showcase their strong support for Israel — and lash out at Democrats.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-New York) angrily slammed Mayor Mamdani as a “rabid antisemite” after Hizzoner issued a statement about the anniversary that mourned the deaths of both Israelis and Palestinians.
“@NYCMayor: “it’s the Jews fault they got butchered on October 7th,” Lawler tweeted. “Hey Zohran, your Mr. Nice Guy bulls–t isn’t fooling anyone anymore. We all know you are a rabid antisemite.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (center) attends a prayer vigil and peace rally in which pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israel protesters faced-off in Manhattan’s Union Square on Oct. 7, 2026, on the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7th attack in Israel. (Barry Williams / New York Daily News)
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-New Jersey) took aim at his Democratic rival Rebecca Bennett, noting that his opponent failed to mention the word “Israel” in her statement marking the anniversary.
“That silence is cowardly and a betrayal of America’s values,” Kean tweeted. “I am proud to stand with Israel.”
Unlike Mamdani, Bennett frames herself as a moderate supporter of Israel. She didn’t mention the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands or the broader Middle East conflict in her statement.
“We must continue to stand with the Jewish community here in New Jersey and across the globe against antisemitism and hate,” Bennett said in the statement.
Rebecca Bennett, the Democratic candidate in the U.S. Congressional District 7 speaks during a debate with Republican candidate Tom Kean, Jr., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Rahway, N.J. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Both Lawler and Kean are seeking to use their strong support for Israel as a wedge issue in their tricky reelection fights.
Lawler’s Westchester County-based NY-17 district has one of the largest concentrations of Jewish voters in the entire nation while Kean represents smaller Jewish communities in western Jersey suburbs and rural horse country.
Lawler is locked in a toss-up race with military veteran Democrat Cait Conley in the swing district that is one of only three in the nation that a GOP lawmaker won but President Trump lost.
Kean is considered a serious underdog to win a third term in his own affluent swing district. The son of a popular former governor, Kean badly damaged his chances by disappearing from view for months, an absence he later blamed on treatment for depression.