Ex-CNN Anchor John Avlon Announces Run for East End Congressional Seat

A former CNN anchor from Sag Harbor, John Avlon, declared Wednesday his Democratic primary bid to challenge U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point), the congressman for the East End and North Shore of Suffolk County.

Avlon, the former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast, made the announcement hours before the Suffolk County Republican Committee is expected to nominate LaLota’s campaign for a second term representing New York State’s 1st Congressional District during the local GOP convention in Smithtown on Wednesday night.

“There is too much at stake for the country and community I love,” Avlon said. “Democrats can’t afford to lose this fight. We need to build the broadest possible coalition to defend our democracy, defeat Donald Trump, and win back the House from his MAGA minions.”

The development comes after U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) flipped his old seat back to fill the vacancy left by expelled, indicted and resume-fabricating former Republican congressman George Santos. Democrats hope Suozzi’s win is a sign of things to come heading into the presidential elections that is shaping up to be a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Trump.

Avlon is the fifth Democrat to announce plans to challenge LaLota. Nancy Goroff, a Stony Brook university professor of chemistry who lost to LaLota’s predecessor Lee Zeldin four years ago, declared her candidacy last year. So did former state Sen. James Gaughran (D-Northport), attorney Craig Herskowitz and party committeman Kyle Hill.

“John Avlon’s entry into the NY-01 race adds even more leftist fuel to an already crowded dumpster fire of a Democrat primary,” said Savannah Viar National, a spokeswoman for theRepublican Congressional Committee. “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.”

Avlon said in his kickoff video that, if elected, his priorities would be strengthening the middle class, investing in local infrastructure, protecting women’s reproductive freedoms, and fighting climate change. 

“Together, we can flip this seat and finally solve problems for Long Island families,” he said. “This district needs real leadership, not more hyper-partisanship, and I am going to hit the ground running, talking to voters across Suffolk County about the issues we all care about.”

The primary elctions will be held on June 25.