It’s been over a decade since a Democrat held the First Congressional District, and over the last two decades most candidates (minus Nancy Goroff in 2020) have hailed from the East End.
Perry Gershon of East Hampton won 47.4 percent of the vote in 2018 against Lee Zeldin. Since Mr. Zeldin left the district to run for governor in 2022, however, current Representative Nick LaLota has sailed to double-digit victories, first versus Bridget Fleming in 2022 and then against John Avlon in 2024.
The Democrats seem to be trying something new in 2026.
Christopher Gallant, a non-politician from Amity Harbor who announced his bid last summer after Mr. Avlon said he wouldn’t run again in 2026, seems to be emerging as the candidate.
A poll published by Politico last week from Public Policy Polling found that while most didn’t have much of an opinion of Mr. Gallant (only 8 percent had a “favorable” opinion, likely because he is relatively unknown), 38 percent would be willing to vote for him in a race against Mr. LaLota, who garnered 41 percent in the same poll.
That could indicate dissatisfaction with Mr. LaLota within the district, or it could be just another sign of the polarized political environment.
Last Thursday, Mr. LaLota voted to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. He was one of only 17 Republicans to do so, and he rarely crosses party lines. The vote could be an acknowledgement that he understands affordability will be a big issue in the next election. In the Public Policy poll, 44 percent indicated “very serious concerns” to a rather loaded question regarding rising prices.
“While the A.C.A. is deeply flawed, I voted to extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for three years to help the nearly 50,000 constituents who rely on them and to give momentum to a bipartisan group of senators working toward a better solution — one that preserves targeted relief, reinstates income caps, and finally cracks down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the program,” Mr. LaLota said in a statement.
In December, Mr. Gallant was endorsed by both Greg Doroski, a Suffolk County legislator, and Anthony Portesy, the Brookhaven Town Democratic chairman. A week later, he was feted at a fund-raiser at Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor, where Mr. Avlon, who has no official role in Mr. Gallant’s campaign, endorsed him as well.
“I think he has a very strong biography, rooted in his career commitment to public service,” Mr. Avlon said the other day. “He serves on the National Guard, did two tours overseas, is a volunteer firefighter, worked as an air-traffic controller, and has been a union leader. That’s a very strong profile for a candidate in Suffolk County.”
“I’m honored to earn John Avlon’s endorsement,” Mr. Gallant said in a statement. “John ran a campaign rooted in facts, fairness, and putting Long Island first. I’m running to bring that same focus to Congress: lowering the cost of living, protecting health care, strengthening veterans’ benefits, and delivering real results for Suffolk families. Together, we’re going to flip NY-01.”
Mr. Gallant is also young, 36, and has no legislative history. Instead, his biography highlights his role as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. An advertisement shows him rumbling into an airport hangar wearing a black T-shirt on a motorcycle, looking very “Top Gun.”
Another first for CD-1? Mr. Gallant is gay.
“I’ve been openly gay in the military since just after ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ ended, and I’ve learned to speak plainly, hold the line, and back up what I say,” the National Guardsman writes on his website, gallantny.com. “I’ve also learned how to listen — and how to bring people with very different views to the table and actually make progress.”
He has yet to lay out specific policy positions, either on his website or in a phone call at the end of November. In the “Top Gun” advertisement, he criticizes Mr. LaLota for a vote to cut health care while giving tax cuts to billionaires. “Sticking people around here with the bill isn’t courage, it’s cowardice,” he says.
“I just couldn’t sit with my feet up anymore and watch what is happening to our democracy. Nobody can get anything done,” Mr. Gallant said when asked why he wanted to run for Congress.
“I have resigned from the F.A.A. as an aircraft controller, making a very good salary to make zero dollars, because I thought that this campaign, or running for Congress, was so important. I stopped working to give it my focus.” (Federal employees are barred from running in partisan elections.) “I think what voters really want now is someone who will put service ahead of politics. That’s been my entire life.”
“My goal is to meet people where they are,” he continued. “I want to show up in every part of the district. I want to talk to independents, Republicans, and I want to offer real solutions on affordability, safety, and health care.”
While the First Congressional District has been a swing district nationally, Republican voters outnumber Democrats 32.85 percent to 31.5 percent, and have held the district since 2014, when Lee Zeldin defeated Tim Bishop, who had been the incumbent since 2002.
Another 30 percent of the district’s voters are unaffiliated. In an era defined by “tribal politics,” it’s that group that needs persuasion.
“Donald Trump’s numbers among independents are down to 25 percent nationally,” Mr. Avlon said. “That creates an opening. One of the few things in life you can control is how hard you work. Challenger candidates need to outhustle the opposition. Luckily, LaLota still hasn’t held an in-person town hall, and that creates another opening. This is going to be a good cycle for Democrats.”
Eschewing the live format, Mr. LaLota has held several tele-town hall meetings. He has appeared live at other invitation-only events “where neither payment nor party affiliation was required,” but not yet a true town hall.
When Mr. Avlon was running, he pledged to hold monthly in-person town hall meetings.
“I would probably do the same,” said Mr. Gallant. “People have lost their faith in government, and that is one of the biggest reasons why I’m running. We need to start restoring that faith and the way to do that is to talk to people.”
Another criticism of Mr. LaLota is that he lives outside the district. So does Mr. Gallant, although he notes that he lives a mile and a half closer to its line than does Mr. LaLota, a near neighbor who lives in Amityville.
“Just being a blue-collar guy from Long Island makes me relatable,” Mr. Gallant said. “Being a county native and living closer to the western part of the district that’s going to be the most difficult area to win is going to give me the advantage. My background in the Fire Department and the Army are generally more right-leaning, and the people in those areas of my life say that I’d be one of the first Democrats they’d vote for. If I can do that on a smaller scale, I see myself being able to do that on a large scale.”
Mr. Avlon learned some lessons from trying to win over the same voters.
“A Democratic candidate needs to focus on winning over independents as well as firing up the base,” he said. “He’ll need to hit LaLota hard for his votes but also give people something to vote for. In general, I think Democrats need to be more aggressive and target voters with their digital campaigns and not devote dollars to campaign advertising that is virtually unchanged from a decade ago.”
Another lesson of Mr. Avlon’s race? Avoid a primary if possible. “An extensive and divisive primary doesn’t serve Democrats in Suffolk County, where we need to be rebuilding and coalescing.” While another political newcomer, Lukas Ventouras, 24, is still listed as a candidate, he has yet to receive a substantial endorsement and has raised only $12,757 in donations. Mr. Gallant has raised $222,833.
Mr. Ventouras didn’t respond to a request for comment from The Star.
“I think Chris is wonderful, but we’re not ready to endorse just yet,” Anna Skrenta, the chairwoman of the East Hampton Town Democrats, said last week. “The committee needs to hear from Chris, but we also want to hear from any other candidates before we make any endorsements.”
