Brandon Williams v. John Mannion: Who Will Represent Us in Congress?

September 26, 2024 admin

Two candidates with non-political backgrounds duke it out for New York District 22

By Tim Bennett

A hotly contested seat in the House of Representatives this November is NY District 22, which represents all of Onondaga and Madison counties, as well as parts of Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties.

Incumbent Republican Brandon Williams is running against Democrat John Mannion.

Congressman Williams is ending his first term in office. Mannion has been a New York state senator for the 50th Congressional District since 2020.

Both candidates share common ground in the fact neither had run for public office before winning their current positions.

Williams’ background includes service in the U.S. Navy as an officer on a nuclear submarine and running a successful software company. Mannion, on the other hand, has worked in public education for 30 years as a biology and chemistry teacher.

The two candidates were sent the same five questions by 55 Plus magazine. Below are their written responses.

Brandon Williams

Why should the general population vote for you as opposed to your opponent this fall?

Over the last four years, Americans have been on the receiving end of inflationary spending policy that’s made it much more expensive just to get by. They’ve had to foot the bill for the White House’s irresponsible financial agenda and the best way to stop it is with their vote.

In late 2023, the typical American family had to spend over $11,000 more per year to maintain the same standard of living they had in January of 2021. During this administration, we witnessed inflation reach 40-year highs!

Inflation is, ultimately, a burden that all Americans share. Because of it, our dollars don’t go as far and we pay more for just about everything. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics just announced that over 800,000 of the jobs the administration claims to have “created” don’t exist — that’s their largest downward revision in 15 years.

This is unacceptable and what is the administration doing about it? Instead of reining in out-of-control spending, they’ve doubled down on the same agenda that got us here.

As a Navy veteran and as an entrepreneur, I understand the value of hard work. I understand that it’s not the government’s place to devalue the work Americans are putting in by devaluing their currency.

My experience has also taught me the value of accountability.

The founders enshrined our right to participate in the political process for this exact reason, so that our government would truly be accountable to the American people. I have been a consistent advocate for Central New York throughout my public service and I will continue to stand for CNY in Congress.

Too often, Washington and Albany are governed by interests and values that aren’t right for Central New York, the same ones that have been great for Martha’s Vineyard but left everyone else behind. Families in our district deserve representation that they can count on and I work every day to live up to that expectation.

Why should senior citizens want you as their representative?

Nobody has felt the impact of reckless government spending more than our nation’s seniors, as well as people living on fixed incomes. The men and women who have worked hard their entire lives for financial security, in pursuit of the American Dream, directly suffer because of this administration’s unsustainable, inflationary agenda.

Our district can’t afford to have a representative who will continue to rubber stamp the same policies that have crushed the middle class and abandoned seniors.

Our district can’t afford to have a representative who will vote to perpetuate the migration and inflation crises that have directly harmed our communities.

My opponent voted in the State Senate to give illegal migrants government-funded healthcare. He believes that you, as a taxpayer, should pay for it. Beyond that, when he had the opportunity to redirect $2.1 billion from a program for illegal migrants to a tax credit for working-class Americans, he voted against it.

During my time in Congress, I’ve been able to secure $45 million to invest in our district’s infrastructure. I’ve supported legislation to responsibly fund the government, protect Social Security and promote a sensible energy policy that doesn’t leave the American taxpayer behind.

According to the May 2024 Social Security trustees report, the fund reserves that help pay for Social Security benefits will run out in 2035. Without congressional intervention, retirees would then only be able to receive 83% of their full benefits. What will you do to protect these benefits and make sure this does not happen?

What we’re facing is a complex and unprecedented situation and we have limited time to ensure that benefits are protected for everyone who paid into the system. We cannot, under any circumstances, abandon the men and women who did the right thing their entire working lives.

Exploration of policy solutions is ongoing. It will require careful and diligent planning, informed by experts, to navigate properly. One potential solution being discussed by Senator Cassidy is to invest $1.5 trillion over five years into an investment fund separate from the Social Security Trust Fund. The fund would then be invested into the U.S. economy and any dividends would be reinvested and kept in escrow for 70 years. This would help to keep Social Security afloat without raising the retirement age.

It is crucial that Congress not forget the human aspect of the policy they craft surrounding Social Security. To recklessly raise the retirement age, or to cut benefits, is to come in between a person and the life they’ve earned through hard work. No matter what, Congress shouldn’t do that.

Will you actively initiate and support a policy to stop taxing Social Security benefits?

In Congress, I’ve always stood up to protect Social Security and Medicare. To that end, I’ve cosponsored the Social Security Fairness Act, which eliminates the windfall elimination provision that, in some instances, reduces Social Security benefits for those who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that didn’t withhold Social Security taxes.

Especially for seniors struggling financially, we should protect their benefits from additional taxation and I will support policy initiatives to that end.

What do you see as the biggest issues facing Central New Yorkers in the next two years and what do you plan to do about it?

The issue that impacts the most Americans today is the cost of living, increasing because of inflationary spending policy, a reckless green agenda, and the ongoing migration crisis at the southern and northern borders.

The current administration has shown no regard for the consequences of their actions, instead choosing to double down on policy with demonstrated harmful effects.

If we don’t act at the federal level to spend taxpayer money more responsibly, secure our border and rebalance our energy investment, it’ll only get worse from here. That’s why this election cycle is so important.

Our current trajectory is unsustainable and it will take representatives with common-sense leadership and an authentic commitment to the people they serve to see us through this pivotal moment.

John Mannion

Why should the general population vote for you as opposed to your opponent this fall?

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with your readers. My wife and I have lived in NY-22 for our entire lives and we raised three children here. I was a public school science teacher for almost 30 years, my district’s teachers’ association president for eight years and am currently a two-term New York State Senator representing parts of Onondaga and Oswego counties.

I have a strong record of working across the aisle to deliver for our region- including accelerating middle class tax cuts, fighting for property tax relief and helping to secure Micron’s $100B investment and promise to create 50,000 good paying jobs that will keep our workers in the district. I have passed dozens of bills into law, including creating the first new police force in New York state in 50 years and setting New York’s flood mitigation strategy to protect upstate communities. I also voted to eliminate junk fees, limit utility charges and suspended the state tax on gasoline to combat rising costs.

Meanwhile, Brandon Williams has repeatedly proven he’s out of touch with Central New York and Mohawk Valley families. In Congress, Williams has supported a far-right budget proposal that cuts Social Security and privatizes Medicare, continues attacks on reproductive freedoms and raises costs for hard-working Americans. Additionally, Williams initially opposed the bill that has helped make Micron’s investment that’s creating good-paying jobs in NY-22 possible.

In Congress, I am committed to fighting for policies that will deliver for Central New York and the Mohawk Valley — including to lower prices, protect Social Security and Medicare, create jobs, protect the environment, protect a woman’s right to reproductive health care and support our students and schools.

Why should senior citizens want you as their representative?

As a state senator, I have supported and voted for legislation that increases the quality of life in New York state for senior citizens. I voted in favor of authorizing the state to negotiate drug prices and capped the cost of insulin. I also voted in favor of increasing property tax exemptions for seniors.

My opponent, on the other hand, endorsed $1.5 trillion in cuts to Social Security, including raising the retirement age and cutting disability benefits. In Congress, I’ll always work to ensure affordable drug prices and a stable Social Security safety net for all Central New Yorkers and residents of the Mohawk Valley.

I believe that it is the responsibility of Congress to fully fund Social Security. Social Security is a promise and it is unacceptable to me that any American who has reached retirement age and paid into the system not to receive full benefits. I will make sure that the system that helped my parents retire comfortably will be available to future generations.

Will you actively initiate and support a policy to stop taxing Social Security benefits?

Yes. I strongly support limiting the taxation of Social Security. I want as many middle class Americans as possible to be eligible for tax-free benefits.

What do you see as the biggest issues facing Central New Yorkers in the next two years and what do you plan to do about it?

Affordability and housing will be major issues. But thanks to strong leadership at the state and local levels, the region is well-positioned to address them. Micron and the semiconductor supply chain will require smart growth strategies and significant investments in workforce training and development and I have secured over $5 million to support ongoing efforts across the district.

In Congress, I will work to ensure that companies are not price-gouging, while supporting small businesses and everyday Americans. I will vote to cut taxes for middle-class families and small businesses, make sure the wealthiest Americans are paying their fair share and protect consumers against utility rate hikes and junk fees.

I’m asking for your vote so together we can continue to fight for increased Social Security benefits and lower prices for basic goods like prescription drugs and groceries.

More About the Candidates?

There are several debates scheduled between Rep. Brandon Williams and John Mannion.

Reportedly, the candidates agreed on these dates:

• Oct. 1. Hosted by syracuse.com | The Post-Standard

• Oct 8. Hosted by WCNY-TV, the PBS member television station in Syracuse

• Oct. 22. Hosted by WSYR-TV (Channel 9)

An additional debate will be hosted later in October and will air on CNY Central, the combination of WSTM-TV (Channel 3) and WTVH-TV (Channel 5) in Syracuse. At press time, the exact day of the debate had not been determined.