Today, we delve into the pivotal House race in New York's 17th district, a contest that epitomizes the complexities of power, representation, and the very essence of democracy in swing states. Our distinguished guest, Cate Conley, a fourth-generation Hudson Valley native and a fervent advocate for change, is poised to challenge the incumbent Mike Lawler in a district that notably supported a Democratic presidential ticket while electing a Republican to Congress. With her remarkable background as a 16-year U.S. Army veteran and former national security official, Kate articulates a vision for restoring accountability and integrity to governance, particularly in a time when many citizens feel disillusioned and frustrated by the status quo. Our conversation traverses the pressing issues of affordability, security, and the urgent need for political leaders who prioritize the welfare of American families over partisan interests. As we explore the dynamics of this race, we invite you to consider how your own voice can influence the broader narrative of democracy and representation in our nation.

The dialogue unfolds against the backdrop of a pivotal congressional election in New York's 17th district, a microcosm of the broader national political landscape. Taylor Darcy and Cate Conley engage in a profound exploration of the interplay between democracy, representation, and the urgent necessity for systemic reform. Conley, a distinguished candidate with a formidable background in national security and military service, articulates a vision that transcends partisan divides, advocating for a government that prioritizes the needs of working-class families. The conversation delves into the implications of misrepresentation and the failures of incumbent politicians, particularly focusing on Mike Lawler's tenure. Conley's candidacy is portrayed not merely as an electoral contest but as a clarion call for accountability and integrity within the political sphere. This episode underscores the vital importance of civic engagement and the role of informed voters in shaping a government that genuinely serves its constituents. Through witty repartee and insightful commentary, the hosts illuminate the stark realities of contemporary American politics, urging listeners to recognize the power of their vote in effecting meaningful change.

Takeaways:

• The critical House race in New York's 17th district serves as a microcosm for national tensions regarding democracy and representation.
• Cate Conley emphasizes the need for political accountability and citizen engagement to combat misinformation and restore faith in governance.
• The importance of civic duty and service is underscored by Conley's military background and commitment to her community's well-being.
• Addressing essential issues such as affordability, security, and infrastructure is paramount for fostering a more inclusive and effective democratic process.
• Conley articulates a vision for the future that prioritizes the needs of working families over political ambitions, advocating for genuine representation.
• The podcast highlights the necessity for reforming governance structures to ensure that elected officials prioritize the public good over personal gain.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
• Department of Homeland Security
• Department of Defense
• Department of Justice

Welcome back to Perfect Union Pending. I'm Taylor Darcy.

Today we're diving into one of the most consequential House races in America and what it tells us about power, representation and how democracy works or doesn't in swing zones. Joining us is Kate Connolly, running for Congress in New York's 17th district.

She's a fourth generation Hudson Valley native, a 16 year US army veteran, former national security official, including the White House National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and now a Democratic candidate aiming to flip the seat currently held by Representative Mike Lawlor. Why this race matters.

New York 17 is one of the few districts that voted for a Democratic presidential ticket while sending a Republican to Congress, making this race emblematic of national tensions over affordability, security, infrastructure, and whether political outsiders can reset broken systems. Kate, thanks for being here. Let's talk about the real leverage points in this campaign and what your candidacy says about democracy in action.

Thanks for having me and very excited to be here and for this conversation.

Taylor, to your point, so much of this is about explaining to American voters what their options are and that there are people out there who are committed to making the American government work for working American families again and understand their frustration. That's why I'm doing this. I believe that politicians on both sides got us into this mess and they're not going to get us out of it.

But right now, what we are seeing with this administration enabled by folks like Mike Lawlor is unacceptable and in many cases un American. So how do we fix this and go beyond just undoing the harm, but creating that better future that working American families deserve?

And that's, that's so much what, you know, this podcast is about is not just dealing with, excuse me, with our current crisis, but how do we move forward?

How do we take, I mean, you can certainly speak more to what a stress test would be, but I've used that analogy as to what the current regime is about. Is, is, is a stress test, right?

And in cybersecurity and security in general, they'll speaking to the listeners that may not be familiar with this, they'll actually have teams of people that will come in and try to hack systems for the sake of seeing what its weak points are. And the goal then is to make sure that we plug those holes.

And I look at the current regime, if it was more intelligent, would have a whole lot more success with what it does, but that it's attempting to stress test our democracy. So what do we do to move forward in order to plug those holes that we obviously didn't see coming.

The founding fathers never anticipated that there would be three branches of government where you would have bad actors all at the same time. That was the purpose of checks and balances. They never considered that three branches would be equally complicit in hurting our country.

So what are some holes?

What are some things that we can do to plug those holes to make sure that we can not only just come back, but avoid authoritarian and fascism going forward?

Taylor, it's so important when we talk about the roles and responsibilities of these different offices, right. And what that means for America. And I have to tell you, I grew up in a blue collar family here in the Hudson Valley, right?

When I talk about my family is as working class as it gets and we've built the Hudson Valley. My grandfather and great grandfather worked in the brickyards here in Montrose.

My mom was born in Peekskill and worked for the US Postal Service for 48 years. My dad was a construction worker. This feeling of responsibility for your community and service and being there for one another, that is America.

That is the magic and that is what we have to focus on and get back to. And unfortunately, what we have seen is the weaponization of the executive branch that is truly unprecedented for our lifetimes.

And you see that in things like executive orders that are targeting political opposition to Donald Trump. You see that with the weaponization of the DOJ going after again political opponents of Donald Trump like Bolton, right. John Bolton or Chris Krebs.

These are times that we have not seen really this type of undermining of Americans constitutional and legal foundation in which all Americans are created equal and sound equal.

And so this is really about getting back to and ensure we are protecting the cornerstones of American democracy and what makes America great and special in this world. And having members of elected offices across this government that honor that and that will fight in upholding. And that's why I am doing this.

Because the current guy representing New York 17, Mike Lawler, could care less about democratic institutions or what is best for America. Mike Lawler's one and only priority is Mike Lawler. So that means he gets to go.

Because this country and this Hudson Valley deserves and needs better right now.

And you know, the interesting thing of it is, is that I was shocked at how easy Republicans in Congress would capitulate to giving up their power for the sake of, of sequence to Donald Trump, right? Like it blew me away because to me, having three co equal branches and especially the purse strings that are attached to Congress that they would.

So just, okay, it's fine. We'll give him whatever he wants. And, you know, I say to Mike Johnson on a regular basis, I post on Twitter, telling him, why are you?

Or asking him why is he not honoring his oath to the Constitution. And every single congressperson that isn't should be voted out. That should be standard.

If you are not able to or capable of standing up and saying my oath to the Constitution, to my role, we shouldn't have you in there. That should. It should be just across the board. This obedience to Trump should not be a thing. And yet here we are where it is.

So I go to what are things that we can do as citizens? Because there's a lot of people that are very scared, a lot of confused.

You have an insider's knowledge because you've been in government while, I mean, you've been working for government. You haven't been in government, but you have an insider's knowledge.

I have an insider's knowledge as an attorney where I can give people hope and help them understand that some of the barriers are still holding. Right. We have the judicial system, that the lower courts are still keeping things at bay. Right. We're getting overturned at the Supreme Court.

What would you say to people that would help them to have hope in this time?

So I will say that, you know, Since I was 18, I have sworn a nose to the Constitution, and I've spent my entire adult life fighting for and defending this nation that I love so much, whether it was after 9, 11, going off to West Point, serving four years there, graduating top my class, and going off to serve as an active duty army officer for the next 16 years. And that included six overseas tours to common zones like Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen.

I spent two years at the White House as the director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council staff before serving as a senior executive within the Department of Homeland Security at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

So I will tell you that I have had a front row seat to the incredible confidence and commitment of public servants across the federal government, right?

And down at the state and local government levels, whether it's the men and women in uniform who proudly defend this nation and stand for all things that are good, whether it is the state and local officials that are out there every day bringing policy to reality for everyday citizens.

And I have to tell you, what gives me faith is I know the people that make up these institutions, and they are doing it because they believe in America, because they will put party of the politics. They will do the right thing for this country, and that is what America is built on.

For 250 years, we've had a lot of dark periods, a lot of hard chapters where we have rose and overcome because Americans will do the right thing. We will fight for what is right and for a better future for America.

And so what I have confidence in is not only the incredible public servants that are part of our institutions that will continue to put country above party, but also the American people. You know, there is so much more that unites us than divides us.

And sometimes those loudest voices on the extremes try to make it seem like we are such a divided and partisan nation. And the reality is the opposite. There is so much more that we all share.

And when you go out in places, in districts like mine, in communities like mine, you see it every day. New York 17 is a proud, purple district. 28% of registered voters here are unaffiliated or independent.

So you can't win New York 17 with just one party or the other. You have to win people.

And that is amazing because I will tell you, it's those values of hard work, of grit, of courage and fighting for what is right that this community instilled in me is the reason I raised my hand after 9, 11.

And so that is what gives me hope, Taylor, that our best days of America are still ahead of us because of who we are as a nation and those values that truly unite us.

You know, it's interesting because they've actually done where they'll do, like, sidewalk interviews for people, and they'll come back and they'll ask them policy questions, things that they stand on, and these will be, you know, people across the political spectrum. And you're absolutely 100% correct. We agree on more than we disagree on. And when you ask people legitimate questions and they're not.

If you ask a Trump person. In a way that makes sense to them. Right. There's a lot of.

If you put it in the hyperbolic standard of the hyper partisan, then, yes, they will align with Trump. But if you ask them in the normal language, more often than not, they'll agree with the things that. That the Democrats are doing.

But you don't label it as a Democrat. Right. You don't label it as a Democratic policy. You label it as, how do you feel about health care? Right.

Rather Than do you feel like the Democrats are trying to weaponize healthcare or fill in the blank or whatever it may be, and they'll actually agree that, yes, they believe that healthcare should exist. There was a huge thing during the election where they talked about the Affordable Care act and one person said, we gotta get rid of Obama of care.

And they said, well, what about the Affordable Care Act? And the guy's like, no, I need the Affordable Care Act. And he didn't know that there was no difference. It was the name.

And so that's the type of thing that we're up against, this misinformation and disinformation where people are unaware of. What something means and, or the right that is trying to concurrently with the government shutdown.

When they talk about the Schumer shutdown, you, even though they control the House, they control the Senate and the White House could sign any type of legislation to get it back open as of right now, but yet they keep blaming it on the Democrats, saying that we want, you know, saying that the Democrats want healthcare for illegal immigrants, which is the farthest thing from the truth. But they keep saying it, hoping that the people will listen.

So I guess my question is how, how are you going to fight back against this misinformation and disinformation that happens in Congress as well as with Mike Lawlor? Because I've heard things that he said that aren't true, that are lies. And I call it like I see it. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. They're lies.

They're not half truths. They're not untruths, they're lies. How are you going to combat that in your campaign and in Congress?

What are you going to do to make sure that your district is adequately prepared for the decisions that need to be made so you understand where you're headed?

I have to tell you, going back to one thing we all have in common, especially right here in the Hudson Valley, we hate being lied to. Don't, don't, don't fill the void with your BS to cover, you know, your own failures to deliver and act.

And that truth about Mike Lawler, the fact that he has put his own political ambition above the welfare of Hudson Valley families. That is so obvious and getting more obvious every day.

And so he can sit there, Mike Lawler, and try to lie to families and say, well, he did this and he did that and it's really the Democrats. But the reality is, let's just look at the figure. Since Mike Lawler was elected in November of 20, 22. And the question I ask, folks is really simple.

Since Mike Lawlor was elected, has it been any easier to put food on the table for your family, keep a roof over their heads, pay your electric bill, or give your kids a better future? Has he made it easier, better in any way? And the unfortunate reality is no.

And that kind of truth, you can try to lie your way out of, Mike, but accountability is coming, son.

And this is about doing what is right for Hudson Valley families who are working their asses off to provide for their families and give them a better future. And they deserve someone who's going to fight for them. And that is not Mike Lawler.

And so when you talk about what is the best way to fight back, I mean, the reality is here in New York 17, and really across the country, people are just sick of it. They're sick of politicians. They're sick of people who talk one way and then act another. That's not America.

America is people want to work hard and have a fair shake. They don't want bullshit. They want honesty. They want integrity. They're okay with hard. Just talk to them. And that is what we have to get back to.

And I will tell you something. Mike Lawlor has faced two Democratic politicians. You there? Oh, I can't hear you now. Can you hear me? I cannot hear you, though.

I don't know what happened.

Okay, can you hear me now?

Now I got you.

Okay. I don't know what happened. My. My audio device decided to start having a conniption. Got to love it when technology decides to have a.

So it muted me to prevent something from happening. So I think we're okay now.

No, no worries. No worries at all. Sorry, do I sound like I have an echo to you now?

You do. You didn't a little bit ago. I think you're just like your. Your face is. Or your mouth is closer to the mic. I think we'll be fine once we. Once we do.

I'm still recording, so don't. I will edit this out, obviously where I was recording. Hold on. Where am I? Yeah, I'm still recording. Okay. Don't worry. I'll edit all that out.

Thank goodness for edits, right?

Yeah, but I am delayed. I'm with you.

Can you hear me now? Are you good?

Yeah. Can you hear me?

Yeah, we're good.

Okay. How's the echo?

We're good.

Awesome. Where do you want me to leave off or kick off? I thought I can score this last part about Mike Lawler facing two Democratic politicians.

Right. Go with that, we're good.

So Mike Lawlor has faced and beaten two seasoned Democratic politicians before, but he has never faced a veteran and committed public servant who has actually fought and delivered for this country like me.

And that is going to play a difference here, as Mike Lawler likes to talk about New York 17 as the district of heroes, or 50% of households here, to quote him, are either veterans, the family of veterans, first responders, or the family of first responders. That feeling of service and responsibility to your community, I get it because I've lived it.

And that level of respect I know will make a difference in families here who are sick of politicians and just want leaders.

There's a. I'm using this as a counter argument. I'm not suggesting. I agree with it. There's an argument, though, to be made.

We tried a business person as president, and granted he's a malignant narcissist, but. There'S the argument to be made that you're not a politician and you're stepping into the role, inexperienced with that.

And so I guess my question is he has at least some experience. I'm not saying I'm not qualifying that. He has good experience. He has experience. What do you say to people that your lack of experience.

How do you address that?

I would say I have more experience than Mike Lawlor when it comes to working with the federal government. I've been a member of the federal service, either in DoD or as a civilian senior executive since I was 18 years old.

I've worked with committees, I've written federal legislation, I've overseen national budgets and executed them. I would argue the experience that matters the most is leadership, is judgment, is values. And that Mike Lawler has clearly demonstrated.

He has none of the experience that I think makes us the most different and reflects why leaders of character matter. So Mike Lawler and I are about the same age, and we didn't grow up that far apart. We've led very, very different lives.

Mike Lawler has spent the last 20 years playing politics and serving as a political operative. When I was leading America's sons and daughters in defense of this nation after 9, 11, that is the biggest difference.

I think that's, you know, it's so important because when you have something different to offer, that type of differences are Welcomed, Right. I mean, there's this, you know, the typical politician response that drives us non politicians absolutely bonkers, Right?

Because what we're, what we're wanting is we want truth, we want answers, we want real.

And when we are, when we're getting spun like Lawlor likes to do, and especially when he's lying, like demonstrably false lies, not just like half truths, not just fictions that are kind of maybes. When, when he lies the way that he does, it just, it makes you. The gaslighting is absurd. Right?

And it's just, it's such a frustrating thing to be because even though he's not someone that I have to worry about affecting, for me voting, right. But he does affect the country as a whole. And knowing that people are putting liars into positions of power is such a frustrating situation to be in.

As someone who. I can't vote against him, I can't vote him out. Right. Which is one of the reasons why I was happy to have you come on.

Was because I wanted to put behind you and say, look, here's. You can do something to help eliminate a liar in Congress, right? Eliminate this obsequince to Trump where we need fighters.

We need people that care more about our country than we need about people that are caring about whether Trump is having a good day or a bad day. And that is such an important moment that we're in.

And so when I was approached to have you on here, I wanted to have you on because I felt it's funny because Hegseth. Has misnamed it the Department of War. And there's a reason why we have the Department of Defense.

And it's so important that we recognize that our government is more than about war and war fighters. We need people that are fighting. We need people that are fighting today's war, not yesterday's war.

And so much of what Hegseth is doing is trying to fight yesterday's wars, right? We have. You are uniquely qualified in today's world of war, right? We're fighting cyber wars.

We're fighting things of disinformation and misinformation with Russia and this idea that he is fighting, that he wants war fighters, and this archaic idea that the people that have served valiantly for their entire lives are somehow ill qualified. Now all of the sudden to serve is absurd because I know women, present company included, that could certainly kick more ass than he ever could.

And yet he's in there trying to lecture generals on what they can and cannot do and should and should not Do. I mean, I cannot imagine being a service person. I tried to serve. I wasn't able to. I'm hard of hearing. I can't. I couldn't serve.

I tried to join the Marines. And I tell you that because I wanted to serve like nobody's business. And I never got that opportunity.

But he betrays everything that is good about this military by making it the Department of War rather than the Department of Defense. We need people like you in there that's actually served, not played weekend warrior. And now he's trying to make it something that it's not.

I mean, those generals, it was like my heart went out to them in the capacity of.

There's nothing worse than seeing a jackass standing in front of you and lecturing you about how you should be doing your job when you're doing your job better than they ever could. And that's exactly what happened when Hegseth and Trump both talked to him.

So let's talk a little bit about what, like as far as an opposition that you can bring, you're familiar with fighting, you're familiar with the cybersecurity. I think you'd be great on some of the committees that would use those strengths. National security, certainly.

What type of, what type can you bring to kitchen table issues, right, where you know, how can you help your families in your district? Put more food on the table or cheaper food on the table, lower pricing for, for them. Let's talk a little bit about that.

I mean, so Taylor, just going back to what you just said and the question for this, right, when you talk about the biggest difference between the people who are politicians in these elected offices, in places where we need more leaders and public servants, some of it comes down to the experiences that matter are actually leading in no fail, no state, like high stakes environments leading in no fails, high stakes environments where it is life and death for the people you're responsible for and what you're looking to achieve. And for so many Americans right now, the conditions that we're facing are life and death for their families.

Are they going to be able to afford to feed their family, to keep a roof over their heads, to give their kids a future? They're doing trade offs right now between groceries and prescriptions, right?

We're talking about can we actually afford health care for basic things? And this is America. Those shouldn't be trade offs that we're asking our citizens to make.

And the fact that we're in this place shows that we're screwed up. I mean, look, the prospects of Young Americans, for the first time in modern American history, are worse than their parents or their grandparents.

We are failing. That kind of data point shows that we are not getting the job done.

And it is because of folks who think this is a game about their own political ambitions and personal interests instead of serving the people that got them there. And when you show you're unable to deliver on your responsibilities where I come from, you get fired, period. And this is what needs to happen.

We need greater accountability for people who don't care about the responsibilities to the Constitution or the people who got them there. And so with that, a perfect example of what's going on in the Hudson Valley, we are seeing housing costs continue to go up.

We're talking about having significant portions of our households here in the Hudson Valley paying the majority of their monthly income on housing alone, much with the fact that we've seen the cost of groceries, prescriptions, everything go up over the last several years. And since Mike Lawler has been elected, all we've seen is conditions getting worse.

You talked earlier about Congress failing to uphold their responsibilities to provide oversight of the executive branch. We see that in so many ways.

Whether it's the fact that they're sitting there and allowing ICE to disappear people off American streets wearing masks, putting them in unmarked cars with hoods over their heads. I have to tell you, I've been to places in the world where that happens. They're called war zones. It sure as hell is in America.

And they're not democracies. So that needs to end.

When we talk about the hardship that working families are facing here, just in the Hudson Valley, we're looking at all of our major energy providers seeking double digit rate increases at a time where we already have over a million New Yorkers behind on their electric bills.

And as this is happening and we're facing an energy crisis, you see Trump going out there, enabled by people like Mike Lawler, and attacking New York, literally defunding and ripping away energy investment to bring more energy to working New York families. This type of punitive and just cruel conduct is not only not leadership, it's un American.

Yeah, and sorry, I was just lost in thought with listening to you and. The fact that they've put party over people just infuriates us.

Especially when we talk about swearing that oath to the Constitution and the kitchen table issues that face us with double digit pricing. I know my family's certainly been impacted with what's been going on as costs have increased over time.

And the irony being that the Trump supporters that actually believe tariffs are a good thing.

And yet the soybean farmers that have basically been completely trashed because of the tariffs and China having found a new way to get their soybeans, and so that industry is going to be dried up for them. They're going to have to literally. My grandfather was a farmer. He was in Idaho. He did sugar beets.

And so, in fact, he worked on the white satin sugar beet plant. So if you've ever had white satin sugar.

You haven't had sugar that was made from the sugar beets from my grandfather's farm, but you have had sugar that was made from. My grandfather helped work on and build the white Satin, and he also. Do you like McDonald's? Have you ever had McDonald's?

I've had it. I've had it at some point in life, yes. Yes, I have.

Although I will tell you, campaigning has really messed with my workout regime schedule and healthy eating habits. So I'm trying to do better.

My grandfather actually worked on the simplot plant that makes the French fries for McDonald's. So he was a carpenter. So I have ties to those types of things.

And as a son of a farmer or grandson of a farmer, the fact that he would tariff the heck out of our country for the sake of winning political retribution.

We're seeing that with him dismantling CISA at a time where our world is becoming increasingly driven by technology, and technology is becoming an increasing part of every segment of our lives to include our national security and our critical infrastructure.

We have this man and his incompetent just a symbol of folks in these political appointments going after the federal government services that are supposed to be supporting and lifting up our nation's cyber security and critical infrastructure security. They're literally just dismantling these core components. You talked about disinformation.

Look, we still have our foreign adversaries that are coming after America with specific disinformation operations to undermine the American people's confidence in our governing institutions and the security of some really core components of who we are, like the security integrity of our elections. This is a national security threat. This isn't partisan. It's not about politics. This is about country and patriotism.

This is the fact that the only people who should determine the outcome of an election are the American people. And you've got Putin and his oligarchs and Russian cyber actors sitting there trying to interfere with the American democratic process.

I wish he wasn't a sore loser, but he's the biggest source loser I've ever met. And it's such a travesty because our country deserves better. How do you feel about the White House? How do you feel about him?

What he did with what he started with the White House on Sunday, Monday, whatever day that is.

This goes back.

We are entering a period of time where Americans, working families, are struggling with affordability, where people are making trade offs between buying groceries and paying for their prescriptions. And this guy has the audacity, right, of misusing hardworking American taxpayer dollars in a way that is just disgraceful. But this goes back to you.

This isn't just Trump. This is about the people who are enabling him.

People like Mike Lalo who have a responsibility in a constitutional directive to provide oversight of the executive branch and executive actions. And he continues to fail to do his job.

Yeah. And you know, as I said earlier, if you aren't willing to uphold your oath to the Constitution, what are you doing there?

I mean, the only thing I can surmise by that is that you're there for the power and the money and that's it. Because if you're not willing to uphold your oath, then you might as well be working private sector and be making three times.

Most of the people that I know that are in government are underpaid. I wish we paid our government servants better. Right. I think it's. I know you don't go into government for the sake of the money. I get that.

That's not why you serve. You serve for the love of country, you serve for the love of people. You serve to make our world better.

And the fact that they're dismantling so many of these programs that are for the people that are to make life better is just heart wrenching. Because the safety net that we should expect from government is eroding over time.

And the bigger issue is, okay, what does that mean for people that have no way of providing for themselves?

I mean, the disabled, the People that are academically challenged, that can't go to college and afford college, that student loans was the only way that they were going to be able to afford college, and the cost of attendance for colleges is absurdly expensive.

What would you say to people that they just want to be able to afford to go to college, they just want to make a better life for themselves, but they can't with the way that things are going right now.

I think this is my biggest frustration, is even before Trump took office, this country was facing very real challenges. And when it comes to the hardships faced by working American families, they're real.

To your point, over the last 20 years, we've seen the cost of college tuition rates go up 41%. That's outrageous. It shouldn't bankrupt you to try to get into the American middle class.

And so when you see these challenges, right, I mean, this summer we watched as the recent college graduate unemployment rate exceeded the national average. We owe the next generation to be doing better than this, to give them a future that's better than our past.

And we're failing to deliver on that right now. And I believe politicians on both sides are responsible. They got us into this mess and they're not going to get us out of it.

That's why I'm doing this. That's why you see the next generation stepping up and saying, we're ready, we'll take the wheel. We've got this because we must do better. We must.

And so what does that look like to your point? We've got to be looking for the opportunities of the future, not the past. And what that equates to for this generation, the workforce.

And next, we're going to see one of the largest disruptions in our society's history with the advent of AI and the integration of things like AI and machine learning into fields across all sorts of disciplines. So what does that mean for the workforce?

We've got to identify opportunities for the next generation to continue to have economic prosperity in things like healthcare, education, the trades. Just in this district. Let's look at one of the four counties we have, Putnam County, New York.

In Putnam county, there is not a community college or a BOCES program. BOCES is a location that offers vocational training and technical tech training programs, things like electrical trades and nursing.

This county doesn't have a community college or a BOCES program.

So when you talk to kids who want to pursue these, these courses, they need to drive an hour either north or south to Dutchess or Westchester counties. This is not setting up the next generation for success.

And as we look at these programs, you know, as much as we've tried to grow and expand the class size, we still have kids on the wait list, and this is them trying to pursue their dreams.

And the reality is, for American society and the economy that we're about to see unfold, the trades are going to be a path to economic security and prosperity in a way we should and must be encouraging kids to pursue. You know, when I was growing up in a working class family, neither of my parents graduated from college.

I got to earn degrees from West Point, Harvard and MIT and work at the White House and live the American dream. And I just turned 40. But that was the path back then. And that American dream, it feels too far, almost impossible for too many families.

And the reality is there are more paths to get there than before.

But we've got to help kids understand what those paths are, ensure that we are creating them and clearing them so they can and setting them up for success.

But we continue to see our government more focused on giving Donald Trump more money in his billionaire bank accounts to fund more Trump golf courses. Like the latest bullshit with the DOJ directive to try to reinforce him for legal calls or ending ballrooms than solving problems.

Yeah, well, he just started demolition on the ballroom or on the east wing yesterday or day before or whatever and oh, that just makes your heart hurt. I mean, it really does. The people's house, you know, of course he's not doing anything by the book or by any type of leg measures.

He just literally just started and without any of the proper permits that we're aware of. And that's just typical Trump. And back to what I wanted to talk about, higher education.

I'm a big fan of believing in people that college isn't for everyone. I think it's important that we come back to vocational things is a realistic and should be. Commensurate with the middle class as well. Right.

Like for so many years, you know, higher education meant, oh, you gotta go to college, you gotta go to college. And while, you know, I think that that's a valid path for many people out of poverty, I don't think it's the only path for people out of poverty.

I think you've got to balance the needs of society with the wants of the people. Not everybody should be a lawyer. Not everybody should be a doctor. Not everybody should be a fill in the blank. Right.

We need people of diverse backgrounds to be able to fulfill the needs of not just themselves, but society. Right. We need the Plumbers. We need the electricians.

We need the people that are the entrepreneurs, the people that don't necessarily want to go to college, but need that education, need the information in order to do that.

And I think we have a better society with the more diversity that we have, because at the end of the day, your unique experiences are different than mine. And that makes us a better world, not a worse world. And this anti DEI part where, you know, everyone's judged because if you're not a white male.

That you're somehow inferior is beyond absurd.

And I have no issue with speaking on that, because this idea that I have the same, you know, that I'm better simply because I'm a man or simply because I'm white has nothing to do with reality. Don't put me in a national security role. I mean, I would be no better than.

I would be better than Hegseth only because I would admit that I don't know what I'm doing. That's different. But I would not be better than you in that position. Right.

Like, that's just a fact, because I don't have your experience, I don't have your knowledge, I don't have your education. And this idea that we shouldn't embrace diversity is. Is beyond a thing. So talk to me a little bit about.

And I think we're almost ready to go here, but I wanted to just kind of sum up with.

Talk to me a little bit about your opinion of diversity, equity, and inclusion and how you feel like it should be worked with in context so that we have it out there for the masses to hear.

I think the military is a great example of this and what military leaders for really decades have been pursuing, and that is to fulfill the responsibility to provide America with the most effective and capable lethal fighting force in the world. And when you want that, when you know society deserves that, that means that you shouldn't just be recruiting from a segment of the population.

You should be recruiting from the entire population because you want the best of the best. And so that's what it comes down to is who is your best athlete to do the job and meet those requirements. That is what America deserves.

And you know, what I have seen is people out of insecurity and fear and their own inadequacies, lash out at others. And that's what we've seen out of Hegseth. The man couldn't hack it himself, which is why he didn't do it full time.

We should be talking about future conflicts and what makes it the best, not the past. But this goes back to Donald Trump has enabled leaders that are inept, incompetent, and the most important quality is loyalty to him.

And Mike Lawlor is the example of that. Mike Lawlor has continued to put his own political ambitions first and failed to deliver for the families in the Hudson Valley. That ends next year.

Yeah. And. It'S so important. Country over party. And that's something I've maintained quite frequently. Kate, thank you so much for coming on.

I sincerely appreciate your time and I appreciate your willingness to join me. I wish you the best and I truly hope that I can see your name on the check mark for the Congress next year when all the votes are counted in. And.

And I think that people are ready for the change that we deserve. And I'd like to have you be that change. I think you'd definitely be more capable than Mike Lawler by any standard.

Lobo.

And that's what's so sad. I don't understand. Just blows me away. How little these people bring to the table and yet Americans were willing to accept. Doesn'T make sense.

There is not a world in which case that you aren't 100 times better than him. It just isn't. And yet the saddest part of this is there's a possibility that you could lose.

I do not understand that even in, like, even at the basest level, you are superior in every way possible to that man. And yet simply because he's a man and he's a Republican, he could win again.

We're going to work our asses off to make sure that voters know what their options are.

And I have tremendous faith that families here are going to choose someone who's going to fight for them and not someone who just talks about it, but has shown it.

And that's where, look, my lifetime of service, my 16 years wearing the uniform as an active duty army officer with numerous combat tours, when I went out there and fought for this country, I fought for everyone. I didn't care how you registered to vote. The only thing I cared about was Jerry Morgan.

And so that that spirit of putting country first, of putting families first and meeting what you say. I do believe that is what transcends parties and what people crave. They want leadership, so I'm gonna work my ass off to make sure they get it.

Well, thank you again for your time, and hopefully I'll see your name on that board on the wind side.

All right, sounds great. All right, take care.

You, too. Kate Connolly's campaign brings a sharp reminder.

Flipping seats matters, but shifting the terms of debate and reforming the infrastructure of governance matter even more if the electorate is a machine. She says we need to fix the gears and wiring, not just change the nameplate.

If you're living in the Hudson Valley and wondering how your vote connects to global supply chains, election security, and your kids commute, this race is your window into what Congress can still become. Thank you, Kate, for stepping into the ring. And to our viewers, stay informed, ask tough questions, and holding power to account.

That's the maintenance of democracy. Let's keep doing it.