As someone who knows about Rep. John Katko’s (R-Camillus) political history, I am in no way surprised to hear about his endorsement of Donald Trump. Katko, for most of his political career, has hidden behind the frame of a moderate conservative. However, in reality, he is very much a politician in line with the views of Donald Trump and the more right-wing members of the Republican Party.

He has stated that he would support the reversal of Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court decision supported by 52% of Republicans, and the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Not only has he been publicly against abortion rights, but he has also opposed universal background checks on firearms.

By the way, universal background has a 97% approval rating across the nation. This is also coming from the man who has an “A” rating and has taken more than $35,000 from the National Rifle Association. Am I saying that Katko is lying about his political views to his constituents, and then going on to vote further right than he is perceived to be? Yes. Yes, I am.

Representative John Katko is just another example of the politicians who need to be ousted by their constituents in 2020. He is deciding to align himself with a man who has called for either restriction on Roe v. Wade or an outright elimination of abortion, shown disinterest in actual common-sense gun control, and has made the demonization of minorities and immigrants synonymous with the Republican Party.

Katko expressed that it was economic and trade policies that lead to his support of the incumbent president, but you cannot only support part of President Trump, without standing behind all of his policies now. Any member of New York’s 24th Congressional District needs to look closer at Katko’s past in the House and understand he is not the moderate he claims to be. He is another ‘yes-man’ to Donald Trump and does not represent the vast majority of this district.

Noah Estling is a freshman international relations and economics major. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at npestlin@syr.edu. He can be followed on Twitter @NoahEstling.