River Journal asked the democratic primary candidates to answer a series of questions. At the time we went to press, we only heard back from two candidates. If we hear back from others, we will post their responses online.
The Democratic primary takes place on June 23 with early voting starting June 13. The District includes all or parts of Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties.
As a matter of policy, River Journal does not endorse any candidates.
Cait Conley, of Millwood, received a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and master’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. According to her campaign website, she served in the U.S. Army for 16 years, was director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council and served on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under President Joe Biden.
What makes you more qualified than the other Democratic candidates for a seat in Congress?
We are not living in normal times. Our democracy, the foundations of this country, and our future are at stake. This moment demands someone who can sprint from day one, put an effective check on this Administration, and deliver real relief on costs. I spent 16 years in the Army, mostly in Special Ops, served at the White House and at CISA, and worked directly with Congress to confront the most serious national security threats facing this country and to protect our elections against Donald Trump’s lies. I’m the only candidate in this race with federal government experience. I know how to make Washington work and get results.
How can health care be made more affordable? Do you favor a public option for the Affordable Care Act? What about so-called Medicare for all, a single-payer system for everyone? What do you propose to lower prescription drug prices?
Growing up with a father who worked construction, I watched his ability to provide for our family depend entirely on staying healthy, but he couldn’t always afford health insurance. Too many working families still face that same impossible choice between lifesaving care and basic necessities. That’s why I support a strong public option that allows anyone to buy in regardless of age, employment, or marital status. It will drive down costs across the market and expand coverage. On prescription drugs, I want to cap insulin at $35, end pay-for-delay schemes, and expand Medicare’s power to negotiate lower prices directly with Big Pharma.
Should the federal government fund universal childcare, or what other options do you favor to bring down costs?
Families in our community are being turned away because there simply aren’t enough childcare spots, and the cost of these spots are getting more expensive. Childcare shouldn’t be the burden of just the family; it’s an economic investment for the Hudson Valley. To immediately reduce costs, we need to expand federal support for early childcare, strengthen the Child Tax Credit for working families, increase the number of providers in the area to meet demand, and pay childcare workers a real living wage.
What are your views on reforming ICE to address issues of undocumented residents, and do you support a pathway to citizenship for noncitizens?
What we are seeing from this Administration is the weaponization of the executive branch against the democratic values I spent 16 years serving in uniform to defend. In Congress, I will fight to rein in ICE: body cameras, identification, no masks, oversight, warrant requirements, and closing private detention facilities. We also need to reform a broken system that traps law-abiding community members in legal limbo for decades. That means expanding pathways to citizenship, faster legal processing, and enforcement focused where it belongs: on criminals and traffickers, not on our neighbors.
Your district includes some of the most expensive places to live in terms of overall costs and prices. What can the federal government do to help make it more affordable to live in the Lower Hudson Valley?
Lowering costs must be a top priority. Families across the district are at a breaking point. We must end the illegal tariffs driving up prices. On energy costs, we need to stop the war with Iran, invest in clean energy, and crack down on utility giants padding their profits. On housing, we must stop corporate landlords and hedge funds from buying up our housing supply, cut red tape slowing affordable construction, and increase home loan programs for teachers, nurses, and first responders. On healthcare, I will reinstate ACA tax credits, repeal Medicaid cuts in One Big Beautiful Bill, and fight for a public option. For my full plan to bring down costs, visit caitconley.com/policy.
