Courage, Service, and the Fight for NY-17: A Conversation with Cait Conley

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of I Live Here Westchester, host Jim Jockle sits down with Cait Conley, a fourth-generation Hudson Valley native, Special Operations combat veteran, and candidate for Congress in New York’s 17th District — one of the most competitive races in the country.Cait shares how growing up in a blue-collar, service-oriented family shaped her values, why 9/11 led her to West Point, and what it was like to serve for 16 years on active duty, including six combat deployments and groundbreaking work in tactical Special Operations. The conversation moves from the battlefield to the Situation Room, where Cait later helped lead counterterrorism policy at the National Security Council and election security efforts at CISA.From there, the discussion turns to politics — and the hard questions. Cait lays out her views on affordability, housing, healthcare, AI, climate change as a national security threat, reproductive rights, veterans’ care, and what “political courage” actually means in Washington today. She explains why NY-17 is a true purple district, why she believes voters deserve a different kind of leadership, and what she would prioritize if elected.This is a candid, high-stakes conversation about service, accountability, and the future of a district — and a country — at a crossroads.Support the showI Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media.We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong.Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us?Email: [email protected]: www.iliveheremedia.comFollow us on Instagram: @iliveheremediaSubscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.