Mondaire Jones

Jones anunció su candidatura a la nominación demócrata para representar al distrito 17 , que incluye la mayor parte del centro y noroeste del condado de Westchester y todo el condado de Rockland , contra la titular Nita Lowey , quien llevaba 16 mandatos en el cargo. Tres meses después de que él entrara en la contienda, Lowey anunció que no buscaría la reelección. ^{[ 19 ] [ 20 ]} Abogó por Medicare para Todos y el Nuevo Pacto Verde . ^{[ 4 ] [ 5 ]} También expresó su apoyo a la reducción de fondos para la policía. ^{[ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ]}

En una primaria demócrata con ocho candidatos —la verdadera contienda en este distrito predominantemente demócrata— Jones derrotó al abogado Adam Schleifer, a la ex subsecretaria adjunta de Defensa Evelyn Farkas , al senador estatal David Carlucci y al asambleísta estatal David Buchwald , entre otros, obteniendo el 42% de los votos. ^{[ 21 ]} Associated Press declaró a Jones ganador el 14 de julio de 2020, tres semanas después de la primaria del 23 de junio, ya que el recuento de votos se había retrasado debido a la gran cantidad de votos por correo a causa de la pandemia de COVID-19 . ^{[ 22 ]}

In August, Jones filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to reverse recent changes made to the United States Postal Service (USPS) that affected the agency's ability to deliver mail, including absentee ballots.^[23] Jones sued Trump and DeJoy "for violating the Constitution in their attempts to undermine the United States Postal Service and thwart free and fair elections this November."^[24] In September, U.S. District Court Judge Victor Marrero granted an injunction against the USPS that required it to restore overtime and treat all mail-in ballots as first-class mail.^[25][26]

In the November general election, Jones faced Republican nominee Maureen McArdle Schulman, a former FDNY firefighter, as well as several third-party candidates.^[27] The Associated Press called the race for Jones the day after the election.^[28] Along with Ritchie Torres from New York's 15th congressional district, Jones was one of the first gay African Americans elected to the United States House of Representatives.^[14]

Following redistricting, the 17th district included the residence of Sean Patrick Maloney, the Democratic incumbent in the neighboring 18th district and chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.^[29] Jones was no longer in the court drawn 17th district. According to The Guardian, "Maloney decided to run in New York's 17th congressional district rather than his longtime, more urban, 18th district, even though that meant booting out the newer Mondaire Jones, his fellow Democrat and the incumbent congressman in the 17th district".^[30] According to The Hill, Maloney's decision "infuriated Jones and his allies, particularly those in the Congressional Black Caucus, who accused Maloney of putting his own political survival over the interests of the party".^[31] In 2024, City & State reported that in actuality, Maloney had privately offered to withdraw from the primary, but Jones declined Maloney's offer in order to run in another district.^[32]

Jones opted not to challenge Maloney in the redrawn 17th district; instead, on May 20, 2022, he announced that he would seek election in New York's 10th congressional district.^[33] The district is located entirely in New York City, an area Jones had not represented nor lived in until he moved to Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn before the primary; prompting accusations of 'carpetbagging'.^[34]

He finished third in the Democratic primary, behind winning candidate attorney Dan Goldman and runner-up state assemblymemberYuh-Line Niou respectively.^[35] Jones received 18.2% of the vote.^[36]

In July 2023, Jones announced his candidacy to return to Congress, running in the 17th district after relocating to Sleepy Hollow, a village within the district's boundaries.^[37][38]

After the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Jones tweeted a photo of McCarthy and Lawler meeting with Jewish leaders in Rockland County. The photo's caption read: "Well that was a waste of time." The post was condemned as antisemitic by Democrats Jared Moskowitz and Josh Gottheimer. Jones took down the tweet and apologized for any misunderstanding. Following the removal Moskowitz and Gottheimer took down their response and Moskowitz accepted Jones's apology and emphasized his record of opposing antisemitism.^[39]

Jones's entry into the race solidified his position as the Democratic frontrunner, effectively clearing the primary field. By April 2024, he had raised over $3 million for his campaign.^[40]

On Election Day, Jones was defeated by Republican incumbent Mike Lawler.^[41]