Mondaire Jones
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Mondaire Jones (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing New York's 17th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2021. He left office on January 3, 2023.
Jones (Democratic Party, Working Families Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent New York's 17th Congressional District. Jones (Democratic Party) lost in the general election on November 5, 2024. He lost in the Working Families Party primary on June 25, 2024.
Jones completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
On May 20, 2022, New York adopted new congressional maps, and Jones announced that he would be running for the redrawn 10th Congressional District instead of the 17th Congressional District.[1]
Biography
Mondaire Jones was born in Nyack, New York. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 2009 and a J.D. from Harvard University Law School in 2013.[2] Jones’ career experience includes working with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy, with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, and as an attorney with the Westchester County Law Department.[2][3]
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2021-2022
Jones was assigned to the following committees:[Source]
- Committee on Ethics
- Committee on Judiciary
- Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law
- Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, Vice Chair
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee
- Workforce Protections Subcommittee
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Key votes
- See also: Key votes
Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.
Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.
Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023 | ||||||||
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Elections
2024
See also: New York's 17th Congressional District election, 2024
New York's 17th Congressional District election, 2024 (June 25 Republican primary)
New York's 17th Congressional District election, 2024 (June 25 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House New York District 17
Incumbent Michael Lawler defeated Mondaire Jones and Anthony Frascone in the general election for U.S. House New York District 17 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Michael Lawler (R / Conservative Party) ![]() | 52.1 | 197,845 |
![]() | Mondaire Jones (D) ![]() | 45.8 | 173,899 | |
Anthony Frascone (Working Families Party) | 2.0 | 7,530 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 234 |
Total votes: 379,508 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Mondaire Jones advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 17.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Elizabeth Gereghty (D)
- MaryAnn Carr (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Michael Lawler advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 17.
Conservative Party primary election
The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Michael Lawler advanced from the Conservative Party primary for U.S. House New York District 17.
Working Families Party primary election
Working Families Party primary for U.S. House New York District 17
Anthony Frascone defeated Mondaire Jones in the Working Families Party primary for U.S. House New York District 17 on June 25, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Anthony Frascone | 58.6 | 287 | |
![]() | Mondaire Jones ![]() | 40.2 | 197 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 1.2 | 6 |
Total votes: 490 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Endorsements
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To view Jones's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Jones in this election.
2022
See also: New York's 10th Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House New York District 10
Daniel Goldman defeated Benine Hamdan and Steve Speer in the general election for U.S. House New York District 10 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Daniel Goldman (D) | 83.5 | 160,582 | |
![]() | Benine Hamdan (R / Conservative Party) ![]() | 15.1 | 29,058 | |
Steve Speer (Medical Freedom Party) | 0.8 | 1,447 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 1,260 |
Total votes: 192,347 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mondaire Jones (Working Families Party)
- Matthew Goldstein (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 10
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 10 on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Daniel Goldman | 25.9 | 18,505 | |
![]() | Yuh-Line Niou | 23.6 | 16,826 | |
![]() | Mondaire Jones | 18.1 | 12,933 | |
![]() | Carlina Rivera ![]() | 16.5 | 11,810 | |
![]() | Jo Anne Simon | 6.1 | 4,389 | |
![]() | Elizabeth Holtzman ![]() | 4.4 | 3,140 | |
![]() | Jimmy Jiang Li ![]() | 1.6 | 1,170 | |
Yan Xiong ![]() | 1.0 | 742 | ||
![]() | Maud Maron | 0.9 | 625 | |
![]() | Bill de Blasio (Unofficially withdrew) | 0.7 | 519 | |
![]() | Brian Robinson ![]() | 0.5 | 341 | |
Peter Gleason | 0.2 | 162 | ||
![]() | Quanda Francis | 0.2 | 129 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 100 |
Total votes: 71,391 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Herron (D)
- Patrick Dooley (D)
- Ian Medina (D)
- David Yassky (D)
- Elizabeth Kim (D)
- Brad Hoylman (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Benine Hamdan advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 10.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Helen Qiu (R)
- Michael Ragusa (R)
Conservative Party primary election
The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Benine Hamdan advanced from the Conservative Party primary for U.S. House New York District 10.
Working Families Party primary election
The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Incumbent Mondaire Jones advanced from the Working Families Party primary for U.S. House New York District 10.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Herron (Working Families Party)
2020
See also: New York's 17th Congressional District election, 2020
New York's 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 23 Republican primary)
New York's 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (June 23 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House New York District 17
Mondaire Jones defeated Maureen McArdle Schulman, Yehudis Gottesfeld, Joshua Eisen, and Michael Parietti in the general election for U.S. House New York District 17 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Mondaire Jones (D / Working Families Party) ![]() | 59.3 | 197,354 |
![]() | Maureen McArdle Schulman (R) ![]() | 35.2 | 117,309 | |
![]() | Yehudis Gottesfeld (Conservative Party) | 2.7 | 8,887 | |
![]() | Joshua Eisen (ECL Party) ![]() | 1.9 | 6,363 | |
Michael Parietti (Serve America Movement Party) ![]() | 0.8 | 2,745 | ||
Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 214 |
Total votes: 332,872 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 17
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 17 on June 23, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Mondaire Jones ![]() | 41.6 | 32,796 |
![]() | Adam Schleifer | 16.2 | 12,732 | |
![]() | Evelyn Farkas ![]() | 15.5 | 12,210 | |
![]() | David Carlucci | 11.0 | 8,649 | |
![]() | David Buchwald | 8.5 | 6,673 | |
![]() | Asha Castleberry-Hernandez | 2.6 | 2,062 | |
![]() | Allison Fine ![]() | 2.0 | 1,588 | |
![]() | Catherine Parker (Unofficially withdrew) | 2.0 | 1,539 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 532 |
Total votes: 78,781 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Duane Jackson (D)
- Delter Guin (D)
- George John-Bosco (D)
- David Katz (D)
- John Jabbour (D)
- Lola Osoria (D)
- Jo-Anna Rodriguez-Wheeler (D)
- Catherine Borgia (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 17
Maureen McArdle Schulman defeated Yehudis Gottesfeld in the Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 17 on June 23, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Maureen McArdle Schulman ![]() | 76.2 | 8,492 |
![]() | Yehudis Gottesfeld | 21.0 | 2,338 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 2.8 | 310 |
Total votes: 11,140 | ||||
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If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jarred Buchanan (R)
- Joshua Eisen (R)
Conservative Party primary election
The Conservative Party primary election was canceled. Yehudis Gottesfeld advanced from the Conservative Party primary for U.S. House New York District 17.
Libertarian primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Serve America Movement Party primary election
The Serve America Movement Party primary election was canceled. Michael Parietti advanced from the Serve America Movement Party primary for U.S. House New York District 17.
Working Families Party primary election
The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Mondaire Jones advanced from the Working Families Party primary for U.S. House New York District 17.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mondaire Jones completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jones' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Collapse all
|In 2020, I was elected to Congress to represent the Lower Hudson Valley. In Congress, I took on the pharmaceutical companies, lowering prescription drug prices for millions of seniors on Medicare. I negotiated passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is bringing tens of billions of dollars to New York to repair our roads and bridges, and passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which brought hundreds of millions of dollars to the Lower Hudson Valley for schools, housing, and health care. I also stood up to the extremes in both parties. I delivered record law enforcement funding to support our police officers, built a record as a staunch supporter of Israel, and worked to block members of Congress from getting rich off the stock market.
I am running to return to Congress to finish the work I started to lower costs, defend our democracy, and stop Republicans from banning abortion.- I will always protect freedoms and a woman’s right to abortion, including stopping Republicans from passing a national abortion ban. I strongly support codifying Roe v. Wade in a federal statute and co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act.
- I will fight to lower costs for Lower Hudson families. I will work to lower prescription drug costs, protect Social Security & Medicare, fully restore the SALT deduction, and make housing more affordable.
- I will make safety a top priority for our communities. I will always support our law enforcement, work to pass an assault weapons ban and universal background checks law, secure our southern border by passing bipartisan legislation, fight against anti-semitism, and stand by America’s allies abroad.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Jones’s campaign website stated the following:
“ |
Now Mondaire is running to return to Congress to finish the work he started to lower costs for Lower Hudson Valley residents, defend our democracy, raise wages, and stop Republicans from banning abortion. [27] |
” |
—Mondaire Jones’s campaign website (2024)[28] |
2022
Mondaire Jones did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Jones' campaign website stated the following:
“ |
For too long, our political system has been rigged to serve the interests of corporations and the super rich at the expense of working people. I am a Black person who is outraged by the right-wing assault on the voting rights of people of color in America. I am a gay person who is horrified by what has become an annual ritual: spending the month of June, every year, waiting to see if the Supreme Court will vote to take away my civil rights. And this issue isn’t just personal to me: it’s personal to all of us. Strengthening our democracy must be our priority if we truly want to enact change. We will not make strides toward guaranteeing health care for all, saving the planet from climate catastrophe, or ending gun violence if we don’t address the root of the problem. That’s why we must fight to increase public participation in our electoral process and get Big Money out of politics. Since day one, I have refused to take money from corporations, and I was proud to lead in the fight to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act, in the House, which if passed by the Senate would guarantee automatic voter registration, enact critical campaign financing reform, and end reckless, partisan gerrymandering through mandating independent redistricting commissions. I support restoring balance to the Supreme Court in order to have a majority committed to voting rights, and in April 2021, I introduced legislation that would expand the Supreme Court to 13 justices.
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed many of the gaps in our existing social safety net. The global pandemic we face demonstrates the need for health care as a human right, regardless of income or employment, as well as mandatory paid sick leave. Timely testing and treatment are essential to stopping the spread of coronavirus. Even before the pandemic, 87 million Americans were either uninsured or underinsured, preventing them from getting necessary medical care. In the richest nation in the history of the world, health care should be a right, not a privilege. That’s why I support Medicare for All, which would insure every American with comprehensive health care (including dental, vision, and long-term care) while capping the annual cost of prescription drugs and lowering overall costs to families, small businesses, and the government.
My grandfather was a janitor, and my grandmother cleaned homes. I was raised by a single mom who had to work multiple jobs just to put food on the table. I understand the struggles facing American workers because I’ve lived them myself, and those principles have guided my work in Congress. Although the cost of living in this country is soaring, wages have remained stagnant for decades. I’m proud to have voted for the Raise the Wage Act this Congress, and I support raising the federal minimum wage to $15/hour, permanently indexed to inflation, for all workers. Although New York has seen some increases in recent years, this is simply not enough for families across New York City which ranks among the most expensive places to live in the country. I know that our country is strongest when we have a vibrant middle-class, and that’s why we must enact labor laws that protect all of our communities. All workers deserve the right to negotiate for proper pay, safe working conditions, and the benefits they deserve. I support the power of workers to organize and bargain collectively, and I proudly helped pass the PRO Act in the House, which ensures working people can organize without fear of retaliation. The PRO Act would end misleading “Right to Work” laws and close tax loopholes that encourage jobs and investments to be outsourced. I’m proud to be supported by a number of local and state labor unions, who know I am fighting for them. That also means treating our essential workers with the dignity they deserve. I support hazard pay, providing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they need to work safely, and instituting labor protections that will outlast this pandemic.
As the product of public schools, which helped me rise from humble economic circumstances, I know firsthand the transformative power of public education. I owe so much to my incredible teachers, administrators, and other staff, who provided the support and encouragement that got me where I am today. I also know that, unfortunately, my story is the exception and not the rule. We must fight harder for equal opportunity in our country. As a member of Congress, I serve on the House Education and Labor Committee, where I spend every day fighting for public school students and teachers. I was proud to earn the support of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the National Educators Association (NEA) in my first campaign. In Congress, I’m fighting to increase funding for public education as well as expand access to free pre-kindergarten through a partnership between the federal government and the states. I also know firsthand that America faces a devastating student debt crisis. Thousands of people throughout New York City, despite having college degrees, must live at home with their parents because they can’t afford to be out on their own as renters or homeowners. We must forgive student debt to liberate an entire generation to fully participate in our economy, such as through homeownership, the single biggest generator of wealth in the United States. And, in order to prevent crushing student debt from accumulating in the future, student debt forgiveness should be paired with tuition-free public college moving forward.
Hundreds of thousands of children across New York City live below the poverty line. I, too, grew up poor in New York. When child care was too expensive, my grandmother had to take me to work with her as she cleaned homes. No child should have to accompany a guardian to work. Today, in more than half the states in America, a year of child care costs more than a year of in-state college tuition. My mother was lucky to have my grandparents’ help in taking care of me, but many children are not so lucky. We cannot leave our children behind. I support universal child care, and I was proud to introduce the Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren, which would ensure universal access to child care and pre-K. I also led the successful fight to include provisions from this universal child bill in the version of Build Back Better that passed the House.
Our planet is in peril. According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, we have 10 years remaining to prevent irreversible damage to Earth due to global warming. And, as Superstorm Sandy reminds us, this is a local as well as a global issue. We must address the climate crisis with the urgency this moment demands. That’s why I am a proud cosponsor of the Green New Deal, which would create 20 million good-paying jobs while transitioning America to 100% renewable energy. The Green New Deal ensures a just transition to green jobs for workers in the fossil fuel industry who are displaced and provides dedicated support to our most at-risk communities. We have a responsibility to end corporate tax cuts to fossil fuel companies and invest in new, sustainable infrastructure across the country. We also need to limit our reliance on automobiles and transition to high-speed and light rail powered by clean, renewable energy sources. In most parts of Rockland County, an individual has to drive or take a bus to get into New York City or Westchester County. I am fighting for a one-ride train from Rockland into New York City and Westchester in President Biden’s infrastructure plan, which will make Rockland County more accessible and more attractive to young families. I am also advocating to restore and expand light rail, which we previously had in communities like Ossining and Peekskill.
It should not be the place of the government or politicians like Donald Trump to intervene in a woman’s ability to make decisions about her own body. I support women’s access to the full range of reproductive healthcare services, and I believe that women should be able to make these deeply personal healthcare decisions for themselves. That’s why I was proud to earn the support of leading pro-choice groups like Planned Parenthood Action Fund and NARAL Pro-Choice America in my campaign for Congress. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration and the Republican Party have systematically undermined women’s reproductive freedom. The federal government must step in to protect civil rights — and it cannot leave those rights up to the extreme conservative majority on the Supreme Court. I support codifying Roe v. Wade by statute, repealing the Hyde Amendment, and ensuring that any Medicare for All legislation includes coverage for the full range of reproductive services.
Growing up Black in America, it is my lived experience that people of color face unique and pervasive challenges in this country. I got my start in politics as a freshman at Spring Valley High School, when I reactivated the Spring Valley NAACP Youth Council. At the age of 19, I chaired a committee on the NAACP’s National Board of Directors. Institutional discrimination touches all facets of life in America, from health care to employment to criminal justice to housing. We must fight to achieve equality and dismantle systemic racism so that we are all able to participate fully in this society. With law enforcement officers engaging in miscarriages of justice on both systemic and individual levels, I believe Congress has a responsibility to enact comprehensive federal oversight measures, in conjunction with state and local action. We must honor the memories of people unlawfully killed by the police by listening to the demands of their family members for justice, ensuring that law enforcement officers are held accountable, and moving towards a society where the institution of policing plays less of a role in Black and Brown communities. This is why I was proud to help pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the House, and now the Senate must do the same. We also need to overhaul the way we approach criminal justice policy in this country and invest in policies and programs that support formerly incarcerated individuals and prevent them from returning. That’s why I support banning the consideration of criminal convictions in hiring decisions when the nature of the conviction is irrelevant to the job’s duties. We must also guarantee the right to counsel for defendants in civil cases and give judges discretion to consider the totality of a defendant’s circumstances in making sentencing decisions by ending mandatory minimums in sentencing. It also means supporting the legalization and regulation of cannabis, as New York and other states have done.
I would not be here today had my paternal grandfather not immigrated to New York City from Kingston, Jamaica generations ago. Immigrants are the backbone of our society, from our economy to our personal relationships. Immigrants are our family members, friends, neighbors, and loved ones. I support creating a fair pathway to citizenship for our undocumented brothers and sisters, revamping our visa system, and codifying DACA in order to protect our young people. I was proud to help pass the American Dream and Promise Act in the House, which would protect our Dreamers by putting them on a pathway to permanent residency. I also believe we must reform our immigration court system to provide the capacity to process asylum claims and hear all immigration cases.
I’m proud to serve as one of the two first openly gay, Black members of Congress in United States history and as a Co-Chair of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus. While there is no question that tremendous progress has been made for our LGBTQIA community, we still have so far to go. Unfortunately, with rates of transphobic and homophobic hate crimes rising, many in our LGBTQIA community live under the threat of danger. LGBTQIA youth are twice as likely to be homeless than their straight and cisgender counterparts. In Congress, I was proud to help pass the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. I support comprehensive changes to our housing, health care, and education systems so LBGTQIA youth have a guaranteed roof over their heads, reliable medical care, and a quality education.
I was in sixth grade when Columbine happened. As afraid as I was back then, I never imagined mass shootings would become the new normal. Gun violence is an epidemic in this country, and Americans deserve to live without fear of violence in our schools, movie theaters, nightclubs, synagogues, churches, and mosques. I’ll always put the safety of our communities first, which is why my campaign does not take a dime from corporate PACs or the gun lobby, and why I’m proud that I earned an “F” rating from the NRA. I support common-sense policies like universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and a mandatory buyback of all assault weapons in the hands of civilians. I was proud to help pass bills in the House that would enact universal background checks and close the Charleston loophole. I also support allowing civil liability for manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of firearms who negligently market or provide their products to people who should not have them.
In Congress, I’m fighting to make sure all members of our communities have the support and resources they deserve. Tens of millions of Americans live with a disability, and millions more care for a loved one with a disability. For too long, their needs have been overlooked, and they can and should be incorporated into our broader public policy. That’s why I’m fighting for Medicare for All, which guarantees healthcare services and supports without waitlists or asset or income restrictions. I also support expanding Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income to end the backlog of over 800,000 cases, which forces people with disabilities to wait years for needed assistance. And I will fight to end the subminimum wage — which in some jobs is currently less than $1 per hour — for workers with disabilities, while guaranteeing jobs and living wages in the community for all. I support efforts to expand social security benefits and am fighting to protect Social Security and Medicare, including standing up to efforts to privatize Social Security and cut Medicare benefits. I am also fighting to lower prescription drug prices, and I oppose efforts to narrow eligibility requirements for Social Security and SNAP benefits. We also have a responsibility to ensure the well-being of veterans who put their lives on the line to serve our country. Too often, veterans do not receive the care and support they deserve after returning home. 20 percent of veterans experience major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, and many do not receive adequate and timely treatment. Over 40,000 veterans are homeless, and 1.4 million more are at risk of homelessness. That’s why I’m committed to expanding veteran access to jobs and training, as well as making it easier for veterans to access education benefits. We must also provide veterans with disabilities quick and streamlined access to the support that they need, which is often delayed due to bureaucratic backlogs.
The United States has been at war for most of my life — wars that have led to hundreds of thousands of people being killed and millions more displaced. We were led into the disastrous war in Iraq under false pretenses. The war in Afghanistan has been raging for almost 19 years. We are contributing to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, in Yemen, by providing weapons to the Saudi-led coalition. Extreme war powers, and a reluctance by members of Congress to exert oversight, enabled the Trump Administration to bring us dangerously close to the brink of war with Iran. Climate change is already helping to fuel further conflict and violence, due to its impacts on food and water sources, droughts, and other natural disasters. Enough is enough. Our national security depends on a sane approach to American foreign policy that centers diplomacy, peace, human rights, and cooperation on the challenges facing our world. We must stop fighting endless wars. We must repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which has given the executive branch a blank check to pursue foreign wars having nothing to do with the September 11th attacks. I am proud to cosponsor a bill that would do precisely that. We must work to bring an end to existing conflicts, including the war in Afghanistan, through inclusive peace processes that center human rights, including women’s rights. I also support barring the sale of weapons to human rights violators, including Saudi Arabia, as well as redirecting funds towards conflict prevention, including through development aid to reduce poverty and inequalities and combat climate change.
Our budgets reflect our values and priorities. Currently, the United States has chosen to prioritize investing in war and weapons ahead of providing for the basic needs of our people. The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) allocates a whopping $738 billion dollars for military spending. We spend more than approximately the next seven countries combined. It is estimated that we have spent almost $6 trillion dollars on the so-called War on Terror alone. The United States maintains hundreds of costly military bases in dozens of countries throughout the world. As a member of Congress, I believe we must reduce military spending and reinvest this money in the State Department, to strengthen diplomacy and peacebuilding, as well as domestically, in programs that meet the needs of our civilian population. I support prioritizing investment in human security approaches, which focus on meeting the human needs of people and protecting our environment.
As humans, we share our earth with millions of species of animals. All too often animals are not treated with the respect and care they deserve, and instead are exploited and abused for profit and human sport. Our modes of agriculture and economic development have often come at a terrible cost: climate change, environmental degradation, and the destruction of habitats. We must act to ensure animal welfare and protect wildlife habitats.
The COVID-19 pandemic devastated New York City. We were the epicenter, with more cases than any other city in the country long before there was a vaccine. Hospitals were pushed to the brink of collapse, sirens wailed day and night, and tens of thousands of New Yorkers died. Our economy was torn to shreds and job losses skyrocketed. And whether it was the public health impact or the economic devastation, it was communities of color and low-income neighborhoods who disproportionately felt the pain. The pandemic then tore at the fabric of society, and leaders in Washington encouraged it, leading to a spike in hate crimes against AAPI New Yorkers and increased gun violence across the city. We still haven’t fully comprehended the total impact of the pandemic on New York City. But we must resolve to never allow a catastrophe like this to occur again. We must transform New York City from a place that was the pandemic epicenter into a global leader in pandemic prevention and response. As a member of Congress, I will continue to push the federal government to invest billions in New York City to do exactly that. That means investing in systems that effectively assess biosecurity risks, building our capabilities in research of likely pathogens, and developing prototype vaccines to quickly deploy their life-saving abilities the next time they are needed. We can prevent future pandemics if we invest now. Doing so will save money and save lives. But to accomplish this, we need leaders in Washington who are willing to stand up for these priorities. I am proud to be a leader on this issue because I’ve seen the devastation caused to New York’s working people and am committed to doing everything we can today to prevent future pandemics. [27] |
” |
—Mondaire Jones[29] |
2020
Mondaire Jones completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jones' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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|- For me, policy is personal. I grew up in section 8 housing and on food stamps, raised by a single mom who worked multiple jobs to provide for our family. I know what it's like to work hard and still need government to help.
- I am a progressive champion who will fight for working people. This is why, unlike my opponents, I don't accept corporate PAC money. Representatives should always fight for the best interests of their constituents, rather than their corporate donors.
- Senator Elizabeth Warren endorsed me because she recognizes I am a progressive champion who will fight for big, structural changes and because I represent the future of the Democratic Party.
I believe healthcare should be a human right in a nation as wealthy as the United States of America, and I support universal healthcare so that no one is left uninsured or underinsured. Everyone deserves necessary medical care, and we see that clearly in the midst of the coronavirus global pandemic.
I support tuition-free public colleges and universities, along with student debt forgiveness, to liberate an entire generation of people to meaningfully participate in our economy through home ownership and paying rent on their own. Currently, thousands of people in my district, despite having college degrees, must live at home with their parents because they cannot afford to be out on their own.
We must end gun violence by requiring universal background checks and banning assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and so-called "ghost guns." We must also allow liability for gun manufacturers, distributors, and sellers. At the same time, we must provide security assistance to places of worship, including synagogues, churches, and mosques.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House New York District 17 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Twitter, "Mondaire Jones on Twitter," May 20, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 20, 2020
- ↑ Mondaire Jones for Congress NY-17, "Meet Mondaire Jones," accessed April 20, 2021
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3684 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.5376 - Inflation Reduction Act of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3617 - Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1808 - Assault Weapons Ban of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1605 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.7776 - James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.6 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.3373 - Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.4346 - Chips and Science Act," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3755 - Women's Health Protection Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1996 - SAFE Banking Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2471 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.5 - Equality Act," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.8404 - Respect for Marriage Act," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.6833 - Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.7688 - Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.8 - Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.5746 - Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2938 - Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Res.24 - Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.," accessed April 15, 2022
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2617 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023," accessed January 20, 2023
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Mondaire Jones’s campaign website, “About,” accessed June 20, 2024
- ↑ Mondaire Jones' campaign website, “Platform,” accessed July 6, 2022