A Few Minutes with… Mondaire Jones

In 2017, he returned to New York and began working at the Westchester County Law Department and in private practice. This year, Jones bested three veteran politicians to capture the Democratic nomination in New York’s 17th Congressional District, which for 31 years has been served by Rep. Nita Lowey, a staunch Israel supporter and chairperson of the powerful Appropriations Committee.

I spoke to Jones last Wednesday, a day after he was declared the victor in his race. Assuming he wins the general election in November — a near certainty in the heavily Democratic counties of Westchester and Rockland — the progressive attorney will be representing the heimishe communities of Monsey and his hometown of Spring Valley in Congress next year.

Jones, who just turned 33, has welcomed the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (also known as “AOC”), the leader of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Like Ocasio-Cortez, Jones supports a raise in the minimum wage and a single-payer health care system.

It’s pretty impressive for a first-time candidate to defeat three opponents who are experienced politicians.

I think it reflects the fact that people are hungry for candidates who are compelling, both in the story of how they got to the point of running for Congress and in their proposals for how to improve the lives of everyday Americans.