Democratic Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer’s sister announced she will run for the New York congressional seat that Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney narrowly lost last November.
Whitmer's sister Liz Gereghty on Tuesday announced her run for the seat, currently held by freshman representative Mike Lawler (R.), who unseated Maloney, then-chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commitee. Gereghty's connection to a powerful national figure in the party could be a boost to New York Democrats, who bore the party's worst defeats in the 2022 midterms.
The Whitmer connection brings baggage as well. Thee governor has faced widespread criticism for her handling of the pandemic, especially for lockdowns of schools and businesses. Michigan churches sued Whitmer in 2020 for a lockdown that the groups said violated the First Amendment. In March, Whitmer conceded that her lockdowns "in retrospect don't make a lot of sense."
Gereghty's campaign announcement called out "extreme Republican leaders."
"Today, extreme Republican leaders in Congress—enabled by the current 17th District Congressman—are threatening our core rights, our safety and our economic future," Gereghty said, pointing to abortion as an example.
Maloney was the first DCCC chair to lose a reelection bid in four decades, falling short by less than 2,000 votes.