In this episode of NTD’s “Profiles of Service,” we sit down with freshman congressman Rep. Mike Lawler, representing New York’s 17th District in the scenic Hudson Valley. Lawler explains what lies behind how he became rated the fourth most bipartisan member of the House, according to The Lugar Center.
“For me, it’s not that hard. You reach out to somebody, talk to them, try to find commonality—which, representing a district that has 80,000 more Democrats than Republicans, that’s what you have to do. You have to be willing to go into communities and areas that don’t necessarily agree with you.”
“Profiles of Service” is an NTD News series that features the men and women who have chosen to dedicate themselves to public service. At a time of low trust in the political process—according to a recent Gallup poll, 57 percent of the country has “very little” confidence in Congress—we launched the series as a way to get to know our elected officials on a different level. We ask them about the challenges and rewards of being in office, why public service matters, and what inspiration they can offer the next generation of potential leaders.