Ally Chemtob, a Democratic member of the New Castle, N.Y., Town Council, on Monday endorsed Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) for reelection, citing his relationship with the Jewish community and record on antisemitism and Middle East policy

Lawler’s heavily Jewish district, one of the few represented by a House Republican that Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024, is one of the Democratic Party’s top targets this November. Democrats nominated Cait Conley, a moderate military and national security veteran to the critical swing district. New Castle is located in Westchester County.

Chemtob said at a press conference that, given the rise of antisemitism, she saw her cross-party endorsement of Lawler as “something important, something bigger than party labels and partisan politics.”

She added that she was supporting Lawler as a reliable ally of the Jewish community who she can trust and who she knows cares about the community’s safety, including that of her three children.

“We have faced an explosion of antisemitism in all aspects of our lives. … We have also watched many we thought were our allies abandon us. But we have also been reminded of who our true friends are, who is willing to stand with us,” Chemtob said. “And it is with respect to this last category — true, genuine friendship to the Jewish community, a qualification that transcends partisan concerns — that I am here today to announce that I am supporting Mike Lawler.”

Conley’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Chemtob said that the Jewish community needs elected leaders who will stand up against antisemitism regardless of its origin, and said that Lawler has done so, highlighting his leadership of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, one of several bills related to antisemitism that he is sponsoring, as well as his work to support Israel and on other Middle East policy issues.

She said she’s been “horrified daily” by the Democratic Party’s embrace of “fringe, anti-American and antisemitic [Democratic Socialists of America] candidates and their sympathizers.”

Chemtob also highlighted Lawler’s bipartisan record and his work on bringing home funding for various local projects and assisting constituents.

“I don’t have to agree with Mike on every issue. Neither do you. But I’m asking you to consider the individual, look at his record, recognize his character and his courage,” Chemtob said. “We shouldn’t write off a candidate based off of the letter in front of his name. … I am putting the interest of my community ahead of party loyalty, and I hope we can agree that our loyalty should ultimately be to our values, our community and our conscience.”

Lawler said that he would “always stand with the Jewish community throughout my district and throughout our country” and that he prides himself on his bipartisan work and efforts to find compromise, highlighting his recent work on the Jewish American Security Act.

The House Republican also noted that Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) is his “best friend in Congress,” and that they’ve frequently worked together on issues relating to the U.S.-Israel relationship and combating antisemitism.

“We will continue to stand tall in the face of Jew hatred, in the face of antisemitism, and call it out and root it out wherever it exists, whether it’s on the right with people like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, or on the left with people like Hasan Piker, or the mayor of New York City,” Lawler said. “We cannot and must not let this become the new normal, where Jewish Americans are subjected to the same hate that they endured during the Holocaust. We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, and it requires leadership.”

The New Castle Democratic Committee distanced itself from Chemtob following her endorsement.

“Ally Chemtob may be an elected member of the New Castle Town Board, but she is not a member of the New Castle Democratic Committee,” the Democratic Committee said on Facebook, reiterating its endorsement of Conley. “It is important that there be no confusion: she does not represent, speak for, or hold membership in the New Castle Democratic Committee.”

The New Castle Democratic Committee also emphasized Conley’s own support for Israel, adding, “In Cait Conley, we don’t have to choose between a candidate who will stand up to antisemitism and a candidate who will fight to lower costs and end the corruption and dysfunction in Washington.”