In New York State, the battle for congressional seats is heating up as both the Democratic and Republican parties target key districts for the 2024 election. New York is known as a Democratic stronghold, with 16 out of 26 seats in the House of Representatives held by Democrats, while the remaining 10 seats belong to Republicans. For the upcoming election, the Democrats aim to flip 7 Republican seats in New York, while the Republicans are eyeing 2 Democratic seats, setting the stage for intense battles in 7 congressional districts.
Among the targeted districts in New York are the 1st, 4th, 17th, 19th, and 22nd, where Democrats are pushing for a “blue shift,” while the Republicans are focusing on a “red shift” in the 3rd and 18th. Here is an overview of the election landscape in these districts based on various media reports.
The 1st district stretches from the eastern end of Long Island in the Hamptons to the eastern suburbs of New York City. The district has been held by Republicans since 2014, but the Democrats see an opportunity to flip the suburban area after President Joe Biden narrowly won the district in the 2020 election, indicating a trend favoring the Democrats.
However, the Democrats slightly altered the district boundaries earlier this year, tilting it slightly towards the Republicans to give Democrat-leaning areas in Long Island a better chance of winning congressional seats.
Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox believes that the Democrats will still have a tough time winning in the district this year. Incumbent Republican Nicholas LaLota, a 46-year-old lawyer, is being challenged by former CNN anchor John Avlon, a 51-year-old Democrat.
LaLota successfully ran for the 1st district’s congressional seat in the 2022 midterm elections, replacing former Republican Lee Zeldin. Prior to his congressional career, LaLota served in the U.S. Navy for eight years after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, with three overseas deployments. He holds an MBA and a law degree, and is a licensed attorney in New York.
Before entering Congress, LaLota served as Chief of Staff to Suffolk County Executive Kevin McCaffrey and as an election commissioner for the Suffolk County Board of Elections. LaLota, a Navy veteran and father of three daughters, prioritizes national security and border enforcement in his campaign.
On the other hand, Avlon, a former Republican turned Democrat, has a background as the chief speechwriter and policy director for Republican former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and a childhood friend and classmate of former White House Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger.
After leaving early political career for the media industry, Avlon became a columnist and editor-in-chief for The Daily Beast in 2013. In 2018, he joined CNN as a senior political analyst and anchor. He has also authored four books and is a co-founder of the No Labels organization.
In February this year, Avlon announced his candidacy as a Democrat to challenge LaLota in the 1st congressional district, aiming to “defeat Donald Trump” and “take back Congress from the Trump Republicans.”
Avlon advocates for reducing the cost of living, improving the quality of life, protecting reproductive rights (abortion rights), addressing climate change, and defending democracy. With a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and an MBA from Columbia University, Avlon is married to Margaret Hoover, the great-granddaughter of President Herbert Hoover, and has a son and a daughter.
In the 3rd district, incumbent Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi, 62, is being challenged primarily by Republican Michael LiPetri Jr., 34, with independent candidates Matthew Nappo and Jacob Soto also in the race. After Republicans won all four congressional districts on Long Island in the 2022 midterm elections, Suozzi filled the remaining term of expelled Republican George Santos, who was found to have falsified his resume in December 2023.
Suozzi, who served three consecutive terms as congressman of the district from 2017 to 2023, opted not to seek reelection in 2022 to run for New York governor, but did not succeed. Upon Santos’s expulsion from Congress, Suozzi reclaimed his seat in a special election in February 2024.
Both in the special election earlier this year and the ongoing regular congressional election, Suozzi campaigns as a moderate Democrat seeking bipartisan cooperation, with a focus on immigration and border security, earning support from many moderate and independent voters.
Suozzi highlights achievements in bipartisan cooperation on issues such as environmental protection, common-sense gun safety, reproductive healthcare access (abortion rights), immigration, veteran care, affordable healthcare, and fiscal responsibility.
With a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a law degree, Suozzi was a certified public accountant and practicing attorney early in his career. He served as mayor of Glen Cove and county executive of Nassau County before entering Congress.
Suozzi, with Italian and Irish heritage, is married with three children, one of whom is a baseball player for the New York Mets.
LiPetri, the young challenger in his 30s who served as a state assemblyman in New York from 2019 to 2021, emphasizes public safety in his campaign. He was the only elected official on Long Island to vote against all “anti-police bills” during the peak of the “defund the police” movement.
Regarding immigration reform, LiPetri promises to expand legal pathways for selective immigration, modernize them, expedite adjudication of genuine asylum cases, enhance border security infrastructure at key points, increase funding for biometric systems, and tighten control over visa processes.
With degrees in political science and government, as well as a law degree, LiPetri previously worked as a lawyer and talk show host.
In the 4th district, Republican incumbent Congressman Anthony D’Esposito, a retired detective, 42, is being challenged by Democratic lawyer Laura Gillen, 43, for the second time. The district has historically been a Democratic stronghold, but D’Esposito won in 2023 in a significant upset.
D’Esposito served as deputy inspector at the 73rd precinct in New York City Police Department before entering Congress in 2020. After joining Congress, D’Esposito advocated for public safety and aims to continue promoting common-sense Long Island values, focusing on the interests of Nassau County neighborhoods rather than progressive policies.
D’Esposito believes that his background as a police officer provides a unique viewpoint on law enforcement, border crisis, and combating inflation. He supports policies to reduce illegal immigration and enhance border security to curb the influx of illegal immigrants.
Calling for strengthened border security, D’Esposito pledges to support law enforcement to combat radical defunding efforts, advocating for a physical barrier at critical border points, funding biometric systems, and tighter control and supervision of visa processes.
With a bachelor’s degree in English, D’Esposito has Italian and Puerto Rican heritage and has been a strong voice for enforcing law and order to protect communities.
Gillen, a Democratic lawyer, was the Hempstead town supervisor from 2018 to 2020. Defeated by D’Esposito in the 2022 congressional election, she has returned to challenge him once again in 2024.
If elected, Gillen vows to work towards the nationwide legalization of reproductive rights in her campaign, emphasizing maintaining women’s autonomy in making medical decisions and staunchly opposing extreme attacks on their rights.
Gillen also proposes a bipartisan immigration reform bill focusing on strengthening border security with additional border agents, advanced “smart” technology deployment, and strategic physical barriers, enhancing biometric systems, and imposing stricter controls and supervision over visa processes.
With a law degree, she worked as an attorney and part-time law professor at Hofstra University.
The 17th district incumbent Congressman Pat Ryan, 44, a Democrat, faces a strong challenge from Republican former police officer Alison Esposito, 42. Both parties see hope for victory in the district, with a fierce battle expected.
Esposito, a former NYPD deputy inspector and commander, emphasizes public safety in her campaign, advocating against regressive criminal justice laws, such as the “cashless bail” laws, HALT Act, and raising the age laws, which she views as detrimental to law enforcement.
Esposito vows to support federal law enforcement rights, protect qualified immunities for law enforcement officers, and resist efforts to defund the police.
Regarding border security, she advocates for the restoration of the border wall, utilization of advanced technology for border monitoring, and safeguards against human trafficking. With a bachelor’s degree from the City University of New York, she also attended the FBI National Academy.
In the 19th district, Republican Congressman Marcus Molinaro, nearly 49, faces Democratic challenger Josh Riley, 56. Molinaro won the seat in 2022 in a close race, marking the first Republican victory in the district in over 50 years.
Molinaro, positioning himself as a fiscal conservative, pledges to work to reduce taxes for middle-class families, address government waste, cut national debt, and ensure energy independence. He emphasizes the need for economic development and job creation in the region.
Molinaro, an Army veteran, holds an MBA from the Wharton School and founded a software company post-military service. He and his wife operate a farm in upstate New York, cultivating lavender, truffles, and beekeeping.
Riley, a Harvard Law School graduate, supports marriage equality, LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination laws, and has vowed to oppose dangerous gender conversion therapy. With a background in science education, local government, and legal analysis, Riley advocates reducing the tax burden on the middle class, updating tax laws to be fairer and simpler, and decreasing the financial burden on working families.
In the 22nd district, Republican incumbent Brandon Williams, 57, faces Democratic challenger John Mannion, 56, for another face-off. Both bring their experiences and priorities to the fore in a bid to represent the district in Congress.
Williams, a political outsider, highlights common sense over progressive ideals and positions the race as a choice between reality and utopian thinking. With an emphasis on lowering energy costs, ensuring border security, and protecting local communities, Williams criticizes his opponent, Mannion, for aligning with extreme left-wing radicals.
Mannion, a former science teacher, advocates for job creation, economic development, and green technology in central New York. Hailing from an educational background, Mannion’s priorities include creating opportunities for high-paying jobs and funding strong infrastructure development.
He champions his leadership in passing green legislation to attract high-paying jobs to Syracuse, supporting security at Syracuse Airport, and continually expanding facilities to meet future needs.
In the midst of evolving district dynamics and competitive campaigns, both parties are gearing up for a contentious battle to secure key congressional seats and influence the political landscape in New York. With a diverse range of candidates and varying priorities, voters will need to weigh their options carefully to elect representatives who resonate with their values and address the pressing issues facing their communities.