Jessica and Tom Gorman, whose 18-year-old daughter was allegedly shot by an undocumented Venezuelan migrant in Chicago, star in a Lawler ad attacking Democrat Cait Conley and Gov. Hochul. Conley says the government failed Sheridan and defends her record.
The Westchester parents of Sheridan Gorman, the Loyola University Chicago freshman allegedly killed by an undocumented migrant in March, have endorsed Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in a new 30-second TV ad in one of the country’s most closely watched House races.
The spot began airing Wednesday morning in New York’s 17th Congressional District. In it, Tom Gorman looks into the camera and says the sanctuary policies pushed by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democrats "killed our daughter." Jessica Gorman closes by saying the family will "choose leaders who choose us," and that means Lawler.
Sheridan, 18, was shot on March 19 while walking with friends along Lake Michigan. The man charged, Venezuelan national Jose Medina, had prior encounters with law enforcement but had been released.
A debate question left unanswered
The ad follows a News 12 debate on Monday in which the Gormans asked both candidates whether they would overturn sanctuary laws. Democratic nominee Cait Conley did not directly answer. Jessica Gorman later told the New York Post she respected Conley’s military service but found the non-answer "cowardly" and disrespectful to her family.
Hochul signed a law this year barring local police from cooperating with ICE on immigration enforcement. Chicago has a similar policy. Conley’s website says she supports a federal law blocking agreements between county police and ICE, and her campaign says she favors ending 287(g) programs so local officers can focus on their own communities.
The couple say they were never politically active before their daughter’s death. Jessica Gorman recently spoke at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention. "It’s about preventing the next victim," Tom Gorman said.
Conley responds
In a statement, Conley called Sheridan’s death "devastating and inexcusable" and said the government had failed her. A former military police officer, Conley said police and immigration authorities need the resources to go after cartels, traffickers and violent criminals, and that her top priority is keeping families safe. She attended a vigil for Sheridan in Yorktown in March.
Lawler appears in a second ad of his own, accusing Conley and Hochul of tying the hands of law enforcement. His campaign says it is spending seven figures on the two spots over the coming weeks.
A race that could decide the House
Polls show the race as a dead heat. The district covers Rockland and Putnam counties and parts of Westchester and Dutchess, and many households there include police officers, firefighters or veterans. About one in five voters is Jewish.
Lawler, a former state assemblyman, is seeking a third term. Conley, a West Point graduate and Army veteran who worked at the Department of Homeland Security under President Biden, is running for office for the first time after winning a five-way primary.
Reporting in this story is based on coverage first published by the New York Post. The photograph is a stock file image.
