New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. has endorsed the candidacy of John Avlon in New York’s First Congressional District, adding to Mr. Avlon’s tally of endorsements since entering the race to challenge Representative Nick LaLota three weeks ago.
“John Avlon is the common-sense Democrat who can win this seat and solve problems for Long Island families in Congress,” Mr. Thiele said in a statement issued by Mr. Avlon’s campaign on Monday. Mr. Avlon, he said, “has been deeply involved in community initiatives on eastern Long Island and I have been proud to partner with him to better our community. Not only is he best equipped to address compelling national issues like women’s health, affordability for the middle class, immigration reform, and securing our border, but he knows Long Island.”
“When Long Island needs federal help on matters like Long Island Sound and the Peconic Estuary, shoreline protection, and solving traffic and transportation problems, John Avlon will be there to partner with our state and local elected officials. In a Congress paralyzed by polarization and partisanship, John possesses the energy and integrity to make sure Long Island is heard. It is not hyperbole to say that democracy is on the ballot in 2024. John can win and he will be a voice for bipartisanship and civility that has been missing in Washington.”
Mr. Thiele, a lifelong Sag Harbor resident who announced last month that he will not seek re-election, has spent 29 years in the State Assembly and also served as a Suffolk County legislator and Southampton Town supervisor. In endorsing Mr. Avlon, he joins former Senator Doug Jones of Alabama and former State Senator Jim Gaughran, who withdrew from the race to challenge Mr. LaLota after Mr. Avlon announced his candidacy.
Mr. Avlon, an author, columnist, and former CNN anchor who lives in Sag Harbor and Manhattan, is running as a Democrat. He is likely to face Nancy Goroff in a June 25 primary election. Ms. Goroff, the Democrats’ 2020 candidate, lost to then-Representative Lee Zeldin. Kyle Hill, another candidate, dropped out of the race last month. Two other, little-known candidates, Andy DeCecco and Saint Jermaine Endeley, also seek the Democratic Party’s nomination to face Mr. LaLota, a Republican who is serving his first term in the House of Representatives.
“I am incredibly honored to receive Assemblyman Fred Thiele’s endorsement,” Mr. Avlon said in the same statement. “It’s not an overstatement to say that Fred Thiele is a local legend. He has served the East End of Long Island with distinction and bipartisan respect for over three decades. He is the quintessential common-sense problem solver and his accomplishments are legion, including the legislation that created the Community Preservation Fund.”
“His support means the world to me personally as well as politically. His endorsement will resonate across Suffolk County. He is the most beloved and widely respected state legislator I’ve ever seen and I’m humbled and honored to have earned his support in the Democratic primary as we look forward to beating Trump Republican Nick LaLota in the fall.”
