Former CNN anchor John Avlon announced a bid to oust Republican Rep. Nick LaLota from his House seat representing New York’s 1st Congressional District on Wednesday.
Avlon, a Democrat, announced his candidacy in a video posted to social media on Wednesday morning. Avlon took aim at LaLota for being part of former President Donald Trump’s “MAGA minions” in the House and warning that “our democracy is in danger.”
“We need to build the broadest possible coalition to defeat Donald Trump, defend our democracy, and win back the House from his MAGA minions who don’t even seem interested in solving problems anymore. Together, we can flip this seat. Together, we can rebuild the middle class, invest in infrastructure, protect women’s reproductive freedoms, and combat climate change. Democrats can’t afford to lose this fight,” Avlon said in his announcement video.
It's official: I'm running for Congress in #NY01 because there's too much at stake for the country & community I love. Long Island families deserve someone who fights for their values, not Trump's. It's time for us all to get off the sidelines. Join Me. https://t.co/fMu8RdLyBL pic.twitter.com/RHWAam8yif
— John Avlon (@JohnAvlon) February 21, 2024
Avlon has significant ties to the national media. In addition to his work with CNN, Avlon is also the former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast. His wife, Margaret Hoover, is currently the host of PBS’s Firing Line.
Avlon is the fifth candidate to jump into the Democratic primary, joining State Sen. James Gaughran, former Stony Brook University chemistry department chair Nancy Goroff, former congressional staffer Kyle Hill, and former New York City administrative law judge Craig Herskowitz, according to Newsday.
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Avlon hopes to unseat LaLota, who won the 1st Congressional District seat in 2022 after former Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin declined a run for re-election to make a bid for New York governor. LaLota went on to beat former Suffolk County legislator Bridget Fleming 56% to 45%.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) put out a statement slamming Avlon as a “smug, liberal hack” after his announcement.
“John Avlon’s entry into the NY-01 race adds even more leftist fuel to an already crowded dumpster fire of a Democrat primary. We look forward to litigating this smug, liberal hack’s past so voters can see just how Left he and the rest of the modern Democrat party have become,” NRCC spokeswoman Savannah Viar said in a statement.
