A New Yorker Opposes Cloud Abortion Her House Re-Election Bid

As the only Republican on the New York City congressional delegation, Representative Nicole Malliotakis adopted certain stances that would make her an understandable exception in a Democratic city. profound master.

Just days after taking office in early 2021, she voted to annul the legitimate 2020 election results. vote for a debunked conspiracy theory announced that President Donald J. Trump had indeed won the election. She followed up by voting against Trump’s Second Impeachment as a result of the deadly Capitol riots on January 6, 2021.

But in seeking re-election in November, Ms. Malliotakis attempted to push the boundaries of stricter guns and abortion, two polarizing social issues that have become more prominent under recent Court decisions. Supreme Court. (In June, the court overturned federal abortion rights, as well as New York’s laws governing concealed firearms.)

As an example of guns, Ms. Malliotakis has voiced support for the new regulations, even voted for some Democratic gun control bills occurred after the massacres in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. However, she later voted against the omnibus bill package, saying it was “constitutionally questionable” and “represents an excessive partisan approach.”

Ms. Malliotakis opposes abortion rights, advocating restrictions on the use of taxpayer funding for procedures and late abortions. But she said she believes abortion should be allowed in certain circumstances, such as when a mother’s life is at risk.

But Malliotakis also tried to distance herself from the court’s decision in the Dobbs Women’s Health Foundation v. this overturned the situation Roe sued Wade, saying in a recent interview that she was “not interested in it”. However, earlier this month, congresswomen voted against a pair of bills that would ban states from restricting abortions and ban them from blocking access to out-of-state abortion services.

Republicans, who are expected to do well in the midterm elections in November, have long fought to oust Roe. Some of the party’s candidates, however, were in no hurry to accept Dobbs’ ruling, wary of alienating voters who, according to polls, could be swayed by social problems in a way help Democrats.

Miss Malliotakis is a prime example. Her county includes Staten Island and a swath of southwestern Brooklyn, some of the city’s most conservative areas. However, New York remains an overwhelmingly Democratic city and recent Supreme Court rulings really unpopular here.

So, like many of her Republican colleagues, Malliotakis, a first-term congresswoman, is instead trying to steer the conversation toward key issues like inflation and high gas prices.

“People are having a hard time filling gas tanks, putting food on the table and paying bills,” Malliotakis said in a recent interview.

“For some people who are individual problem individuals, it can have an impact,” she added, of her claims about guns and abortion. “But I do know that crime and pocketbook issues are the most important issues for the people I represent.”

Malliotakis is expected to easily win next month’s Republican primary against John Matland, a financially underpowered opponent, setting her up for a likely rematch with Max Rose, the former Democratic congressman she championed in 2020.

Rose, a veteran who was wounded in Afghanistan and was awarded a Bronze Star, sought to tie Malliotakis to Republican extremists, including Trump, and the Capitol riots. of the president’s supporters, said. he is running to protect the “soul of America”.

“Everything our country was built on was not just spit on: They tried to destroy it,” he said during a July 11 campaign walk in Bay Ridge. “And even after – even after – Nicole, and all the other people in Congress who almost got killed, they still voted to certify.”

He also openly mocked Ms Malliotakis for appearing two-faced on some hot-button issues, for example, mocking her embrace of her limited gun control, such as “a few ceremonial ballots” “.

“When it comes time for the pack to be voted on, as she usually does, she plays both sides,” he said, referring to the bus bill. “Vote for it before she voted against it. Who knows what’s going on here? “

Mr. Rose also organized a few public events following the Supreme Court decision on abortion – including one at Malliotakis’ Brooklyn district office in Bay Ridge – to describe her as out of touch with her county, even on Staten Island, saying the congresswoman was “going against history.”

“I generally believe that when it comes to this, people are on the side of women having the opportunity to make decisions for themselves,” he said.

In recent weeks, Mr. Rose continued that line of attack, saying that the congresswoman had “tweeted more than 180 times and issued 13 press releases” since Dobbs’ decision, but “didn’t say anything about the million women lose control of their bodies.”

When asked specifically about Dobbs’ decision to oust Roe, Ms Malliotakis stammered.

“My voters, they know that nothing will change in New York,” she said. “The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, so we have to accept the Supreme Court’s decision regardless.”

Ms Malliotakis’ comments have also benefited her opponents on the right, including Mr. Matlanda health care worker who lost her job for refusing to be vaccinated and who is seeking to oust Malliotakis in the August 23 primaries with a low-budget anti-establishment campaign.

Mr. Matland, who is running for public office for the first time, said that Malliotakis was “often alienated from the Republican establishment,” and that she was only elected because of the recognition she had – she served. 5-term service in the State. Council and unsuccessful run for mayor of New York City in 2017 – and her county’s aversion to Democratic candidates.

“People say ‘I just voted for her’ – and I feel guilty about that myself – ‘because I think she’s a much better choice than Max Rose,'” Mr Matland said and added, “And that’s exactly why we have primaries: so we can get a better pick. “

Considering the possibility of a tough year for Democrats nationally, most observers expect Mr Rose to have an uphill battle in November, assuming he wins the primary last August. Two opponents: Brittany Ramos DeBarrosa progressive community activist, and Komi Agoda-Koussemaan educator.

Mr. Rose’s campaign also suffered a setback earlier this year when a state judge laid out new congressional lines drawn by Democrats that could tilt the area in his favor. Refurbished lines, drawn by a redistricting specialist in May, make the area look roughly the same, though its Brooklyn portion – half as populous as the Staten Island portion – has backed Support President Biden by about 12 points over Mr. Trump in the 2020 election.

Ms Malliotakis accused Mr Rose of only entering the race “because he thought they would change course in his favor”.

“The good news about the replays is that we know how they’re going to end,” Malliotakis said of the rematch with Mr. Rose.

Vito Fossella, Republican who serves as Staten Island county chairperson, echoed that sentiment, saying he doesn’t “see how much momentum” the race has changed since 2020, and hinted that abortion and guns won’t be a big deal for Staten Island Voters.

“In terms of balance, what people care about is ‘Are we safe? Are we economically comfortable? Do we have a brighter future? ‘” said Mr Fossella, a supporter of Malliotakis.

The road to re-election for Malliotakis, 41, will likely include a major victory on South Shore, a Republican stronghold, to offset more liberal neighborhoods in the north. And for South Shore residents like Edward Carey, a retired banking executive who winters in Florida but has a home in the Eltingville neighborhood, Malliotakis has been a certainty. He credits Mr. Fossella’s support, as well as other factors.

“She’s a Republican, she’s a woman, she’s young,” said Carey, 83, a registered Republican. registered said. “It’s good enough for me.”

However, State Senator Diane J. Savino, a moderate Democrat who has represented the northern part of Staten Island for nearly two decades, said “you can’t pinpoint your electorate. Staten Island.”

“It’s not about whether they’re Republican or Democrat, left or right: It’s whether or not the candidate is talking about what concerns the people of Staten Island,” she said, noting the history. the island’s recent vacancy between partisanship. “Anyone who thinks they can put their finger on the pulse of Staten Island voters has no idea what they’re talking about.”

She also criticized Malliotakis for being wise on important issues, but noted that voters did not seem to care.

Ms Savino said: “Until now, Nicole has ignored this, when it comes to Malliotakis’ anti-abortion votes in Washington and Albany. “No one is holding her accountable. So I don’t think that’s going to get voters to come here. What will motivate voters is whether they think they will have someone who will fight for them in Washington. “

Vin DeRosa, a regular at Jody’s Club Forest, a popular bar near the North Shore, where Mr. Rose has been known to drink alcoholis a registered Democrat but said he considers himself an independent who “votes for that person” rather than party lines.

Mr. DeRosa, a retired telecommunications expert, said that he voted for Mr. Rose in 2020, and that he would most likely re-elect, if only because of Ms. Malliotakis’ relationship with Mr. Trump.

“I’m not sure I want a congressman to call Mar-a-Lago,” Mr. DeRosa said, “to find out what to do.”