Interview with Caroline Shinkle, Candidate for U.S. Congress
Caroline Shinkle is the Republican candidate for New York’s 12th Congressional District, an open seat being vacated by longtime Rep. Jerry Nadler. The district spans Manhattan’s Upper East and Upper West Sides and all of Midtown, including YU’s Beren Campus. This makes the race directly relevant to Beren students who live or vote in the district. The Commentator had the opportunity to talk with Shinkle herself about her background, campaign and goals for New York.
Shinkle’s opinion is that New York City is headed in the wrong direction and is asking voters in one of the nation’s most heavily Democratic, and most heavily Jewish, districts to consider a different approach. She sees this election as a potential realignment moment to stop Mamdani and the DSA.
“This is no longer a Republican versus Democrat election,” Shinkle said. “This is about bringing together New Yorkers who are deeply concerned about the direction of the city.” For Shinkle, that political realignment means reaching out not only to Republicans but also to Democrats and independents who are not happy with the direction of New York politics. She vocalized how concerns over affordability, public safety, antisemitism and the economic future of the city could unite voters who don’t usually find themselves voting Republican. She argues that she does not need to convince large numbers of New Yorkers to suddenly become Republicans, as voters who may disagree on traditional partisan questions can unite to stop Mamdani and the DSA from taking over New York.
Shinkle studied economics at MIT and worked at central banks around the world, including the Bank of Israel in Jerusalem, before going on to Harvard Law School and working at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. This experience shaped how she thinks of the government and the economy. “I’ve always believed that economics is the foundation of quality of life,” Shinkle said. “Through economics, we can create the conditions to enable the most widespread prosperity possible.”
She believes New York has become increasingly less affordable for families and businesses. She criticized what she called a “high tax, high spend” approach to government, and said the city needs to do more to encourage businesses and families to remain in New York. One of her proposals would do away with federal income taxes on W-2 wages up to $150,000, allowing more Americans to hold onto their hard-earned money. Shinkle also stated that she wants the federal government to balance the budget, explaining that it would help lower inflation and create the conditions for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.
She also makes education a priority, linking it to her own experience. “Education has been the key to my success in life,” she said. Shinkle wants to make interest payments on student loans entirely tax-deductible, with no income caps. She believes students who borrow to invest in their education shouldn’t have to deal with what she called a system that makes repayment unnecessarily difficult.
Shinkle maintains that she is the clear choice for the Jewish community worried about Israel and antisemitism. Herself a practicing Catholic, Shinkle described herself as an “unapologetic supporter of Israel.” She shared that living in Jerusalem and working at the Bank of Israel helped shape her connection and unwavering support for Israel and the Jewish people. “Israel is the bedrock of liberty and stability in the Middle East,” she said. She argued that the United States should continue supporting Israel’s right to operate from a position of strength in the region.
She also stated that elected officials need to take a more active role in fighting antisemitism. She wants to do more than condemn antisemitic incidents; the federal government must investigate the sources of funding for groups or individuals who engage in antisemitic violence. “We have to do more to fight antisemitism at the root source,” she said.
Shinkle was especially critical of the Democratic Party in New York and her Democratic opponent, Micah Lasher, who has endorsed Mamdani. While her opponent has publicly identified as a Zionist, Shinkle disputed that description, arguing that supporting Mamdani and genuinely supporting Israel are mutually exclusive. “He’s a political chameleon and does not have a moral core,” she said. “If Mamdani supporter Micah Lasher is elected, he will continue to vote lockstep with Mamdani and the DSA. He has already sold out and will continue to do so for the sake of his political career, just like Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.”
Shinkle described herself as a pragmatist and said her education at MIT taught her to problem solve: “We see a problem and we develop solutions, and we work with anybody that it takes to solve those problems.” For Shinkle, willingness to work across party lines is not new. Much of her professional and academic life has been in mostly liberal environments, and many of her friends and mentors are Democrats. “Being a Republican, being a Democrat — at the end of the day, that’s just a label,” Shinkle asserted. “What’s important are our values and working together to achieve the common good.” For Shinkle, this is what makes this election a potential political realignment, not just another contest between a Republican and a Democrat. “Ultimately we’re all on the same team, by and large” she said. “I want to work with anybody who’s willing to come to the table and deliver for New York-12.”
Photo Caption: Caroline Shinkle
Photo Credit: Caroline Shinkle
