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In an era of sanitized sound bites and carefully calculated political messaging, Emmy-winning former journalist Mike Sacks is taking a dramatically different approach in his newly announced congressional campaign — one that’s blunt, raw, and unapologetically direct.
With a rallying cry to “unf--- our country,” Sacks, 42, launched his campaign Wednesday to challenge Republican Congressman Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th Congressional District, a pivotal swing district in the Hudson Valley just north of New York City.
The district, currently rated as “lean Republican” by the Cook Political Report, is one of the top Democratic targets in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
The message may be profane, but for Sacks, it’s rooted in urgency and conviction. In a two-minute campaign launch video posted online, the former journalist — bleeping out the expletive — lays out a passionate and combative case for why he believes the country needs new leadership and bold reform.
“I’m running for Congress to tell you the truth, to fight for New York, and to unf--- our country,” Sacks declares in the campaign video, setting the tone for a campaign that promises to be unlike any other in this closely watched race.
Sacks, a single father of two, has lived in the district since 2018. A graduate of Duke University and Georgetown Law School, he brings with him a background not only in journalism but in legal analysis and political commentary. Known for his sharp interviews and legal insight on television, Sacks also earned an Emmy for his journalism work.
But now, he’s leaving behind the newsroom to step directly into the fray of American politics.
“We can’t do the same old thing with the same old people,” Sacks says in his launch video. “In Congress, I’ll bring our bold ideas to save our democracy. We need to do this now, before it’s too late.”
Sacks is setting his sights directly on incumbent Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, who has represented the district since 2023. The campaign video wastes no time going after Lawler, showing a viral clip of the congressman singing a parody version of the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” — rewritten to promote former President Trump’s push to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
“Lawler’s playing moderate up here, while voting MAGA down there,” Sacks says. “Rubber-stamping this administration, thinking we won’t notice.”
It’s a line that’s likely to resonate with the district’s more moderate and independent voters, many of whom helped flip the seat Republican just two years ago in what was considered a significant GOP pickup.
But Democrats believe the tide may be turning. With Lawler now closely tied to Trump’s MAGA agenda in the eyes of critics, and with Democratic frustration growing over Republican obstructionism in Congress, the 2026 race is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested in the country.
Sacks is the fourth Democrat to officially enter the race against Lawler. Others include former Congressman Mondaire Jones, who previously represented the area before redistricting and party tensions led to his primary loss in another district.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has made it clear that flipping this seat is a top priority.
Still, Sacks will have to navigate what is already becoming a contentious and expensive Democratic primary. Lawler’s campaign has seized on this, calling the Democratic field “bloody” and “radical.”
In response to Sacks’s announcement, Lawler campaign spokesperson Chris Russell offered a sharp rebuke.
“Two years ago, Democrats cleared the field for a defund-the-police socialist in Mondaire Jones, and he got crushed,” Russell said. “This time, their plan appears to be a bloody, expensive primary with an ever-expanding list of candidates fighting to see who’s the most radical liberal. Good luck with that!”
Despite the attacks, Sacks appears undeterred, and perhaps even energized by the friction. His launch video and website stress the urgency of reform and his desire to break with Washington orthodoxy.
Sacks’s background gives him a unique angle in the race. As a former journalist and legal analyst, he is no stranger to political theater — or political substance.
Throughout his career, Sacks covered major court rulings, interviewed high-profile politicians, and brought clarity to complex legal and constitutional questions. His deep understanding of the law and public policy could prove a valuable asset in Congress — and a sharp contrast to the caricatured image Republicans are likely to paint of him during the campaign.
Additionally, Sacks’s experience as a single parent may give him added credibility with suburban families and working-class voters navigating the rising cost of living, housing instability, and inadequate access to healthcare — issues he has promised to prioritize if elected.
While the 2026 midterms may seem distant to many Americans still focused on the 2024 election cycle, congressional campaigns are already in full swing — especially in battleground districts like NY-17.
Lawler’s campaign has been building momentum, reporting $1.46 million in campaign funds raised in the first quarter of 2024. He has also gained attention as one of the more moderate-sounding Republicans in the House, despite voting in line with party leadership on key MAGA-aligned issues.
Democrats, meanwhile, are searching for a candidate who can bridge the gap between progressive enthusiasm and centrist electability — someone who can speak boldly without alienating voters in the purple suburbs of the Hudson Valley.
Whether Mike Sacks is that candidate remains to be seen. But his campaign is already making noise in ways most newcomers can only dream of — by refusing to play it safe.
Sacks’s slogan — a profane call to “unf--- our country” — is not just a marketing gimmick. It’s a message about rejecting political correctness in favor of brutal honesty, a theme that runs through his campaign launch.
Supporters argue that this kind of messaging reflects the frustration many Americans feel — not only with Republican policies but with the Democratic Party’s often muted response.
“People are tired of the BS,” one supporter commented under his campaign video. “Mike’s saying what we’re all thinking.”
The bleeped expletive has also generated attention online, where campaign slogans are often lost in a sea of sameness. In contrast, Sacks’s message is memorable, confrontational, and unmistakably clear.
With a crowded Democratic primary, a high-stakes general election ahead, and a candidate willing to ditch the script, Mike Sacks’s campaign for New York’s 17th Congressional District promises to be one of the most watched races in 2026.
Whether voters reward his unfiltered honesty or punish him for perceived abrasiveness remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Mike Sacks isn’t tiptoeing into politics — he’s kicking down the door.
