Former Rep. Mondaire Jones Announces Bid For Second Congressional Term

Former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones announced that he will run for Congress in New York’s 17th Congressional District.

“Most people in Washington didn’t grow up like me,” said Jones in a campaign video. “They have no idea what it’s like to struggle. We got to get Washington back on the side of the working people. I know we can do better. For me, this is personal.”

I’ve never been Washington's choice. It's because I stand up to corruption. I battle with Republicans trying to overthrow our democracy & ban abortion, even as I push my party to fight harder for working people.

I'm running to finish the work I began. Chip in >>… pic.twitter.com/iDO1yYYUH6

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— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) July 5, 2023

Jones was one of the first two openly gay black men elected to Congress in 2020. He supported “Medicare for All” and the “Green New Deal,” and backed efforts to cut funding for police.

Despite his success in office, he lost his bid for a second term after redistricting placed him in the same district as former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney. In light of this, Jones decided to run for New York’s 10th district, which includes Manhattan. He lost to Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York).

During his run in the 2024 election cycle, Jones will face a Democratic primary against Liz Whitmer Gereghty, an education advocate and sister of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan), a leading figure in the party. Jones and Gereghty will be fighting to reclaim the district’s Democratic seat that has since been taken by Republican Rep. Mike Lawler (R-New York).

Republicans are already condemning Jones’ decision to run for another term. His stance on prison reform and police funding has been scrutinized by conservatives, who are hoping to keep a Republican in the 17th district of New York.