Laura Dunn Makes Her Case in Crowded Race to Replace Jerry Nadler
In this interview, attorney and first-time congressional candidate Laura Dunn explains why she is running to succeed retiring Representative Jerry Nadler in New York’s 12th Congressional District, which covers much of Manhattan, including the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown, Union Square, and Stuyvesant Town.
Dunn argues that, despite being a new candidate for elected office, she brings substantial federal policy experience. She says she helped draft and pass part of the Violence Against Women Act of 2013, worked on federal rulemaking, advised White House task forces, and served on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Drawing on her background as a victim advocate, Dunn says she entered the race because she sees civil rights protections—especially Title IX—as being under attack and believes stronger leadership is needed in Congress.
During the interview, Dunn presents herself as an “accountability candidate” focused on gender equality, ethics reform, and pushing back against former President Donald Trump. She criticizes the influence of wealthy donors in politics, calls for stronger guardrails on executive power, supports the idea of congressional term limits and tougher ethics standards, and says public officials should face greater personal accountability for misconduct.
Closer to home, Dunn also comments on the legal case involving former Mayor Eric Adams, saying taxpayer money should not be used to defend officials accused of sexual misconduct. She closes by acknowledging the crowded Democratic primary field and highlighting her effort to connect directly with voters across the district.
