Note: Read WRVO's previous coverage of incumbent Democrat Rep. John Mannion.
A political newcomer is hoping to unseat central New York’s one-term Rep. John Mannion (D-Geddes). 37-year-old Kailee Buller is hoping to put the 22nd Congressional District back in Republican hands.
Buller’s path to politics took her away from Syracuse for almost 15 years. The Auburn native says she didn’t want to leave home after graduating from SUNY Buffalo.
"But there weren’t jobs to match my skill set," Buller said. "I was saddled in debt. What’s a girl to do? And I was $100,000 in loan debt with no jobs in 2011. It’s not like I wanted to leave. It’s something I had to do."
So Buller headed to Washington, D.C., ultimately working In the private and public sectors. She spent time in various positions in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the first and second Trump administrations, with stints in organizations tied to the grocery and oil producing industry in between. She said she learned a lot in Washington but found it was time to come back.
"For me, none of those things are fulfilling when you see what’s happening back home, and be part of the fix," she said.
Buller heads into Election Day with local Republican and Conservative parties backing her, as well as the endorsement of President Trump.
"You have to get out and vote for Kailee Buller for congress," Trump said during a rally in Syracuse on Oct. 9. "I saw a poll for Kailee and she’s gonna win that sucker."
Trump is deeply unpopular in some parts of the 22nd District, and it’s unclear how his support would help her. Buller identifies herself as a moderate Republican and independent thinker. She said she tells anti-Trump voters that even if they don’t like him, her relationship with the administration can be valuable
"Because I can have the difficult conversations," she said. "You see my opponent writing letters to cabinet secretaries, whereas I can give them a call. You see him complaining about Trump without solutions. And if we want to see things happen, we need someone to criticize and offer a solution instead of just criticize, criticize, criticize."
On the issues, she supports an America First doctrine. So she’s not 100% behind the war in Iran.
“I'm not overly excited about the Iran war. It’s not something I’m overly supportive of," she said. "I grew up during Iraq and Afghanistan. And I’d like us to focus on our affairs in America."
And she’d support voting to give Congress more power regarding the war.
"I definitely think that for more certainty, for more transparency, it makes sense to push it to Congress and ensure that they have a seat at the table," she said. "But we have a pretty ineffective Congress in general, so I think that's a bit of the rub. But yeah, absolutely, I'm for more oversight of Congress in this area."
Buller said she also believes Congress needs more of a role in the administration’s policy on trade. She would prefer tariffs be determined on a case-by-case basis.
"Do I support every single tariff? No," she said. "Do I support the idea of tariffs and using them to make America a more competitive atmosphere for American businesses, for American consumers? Yes. And do I support Congress having more oversight ability to allow businesses long-term planning and countries long-term planning? Yes."
Buller said she understands the economic pressures facing central New York families. So her focus would be on creating good-paying jobs, repealing climate mandates she says drives up energy costs, and policies that encourage housing development and encourage first-time homebuyers. For Buller, the economic pressures faced by millennials in particular is personal. It's something she sees with the people she grew up with.
"We have a whole generation of educated, smart kids or young adults who want jobs to match their skillset," she said. "They want to be able to have a vacation. They want to be able to, you know, enjoy some meals out and buy their first home. And then childcare is the cost of a mortgage payment. So I feel these people, I understand, and I really feel like I can be helpful."
Buller knows she’s a dark horse in this campaign. The Cook Political Report puts NY-22 in the solid seat for Democrats column. But she won’t write off her chances until the votes have been counted.
"I’m an underdog. It’s what I’ve been. I’ve always been the youngest, and mostly the only woman at the table my whole career, so this is no different. Young woman at the table. Everyone says it can’t be done. I’m feeling like it can be done right now."
The 22nd Congressional District spans all of Onondaga and Madison counties, and a portion of Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties. It includes the cities of Syracuse, Utica, Auburn and Cortland.
Early voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Nov. 3.
