Democrat and former CNN political analyst John Avron announced Wednesday that he will participate in a crowded Congressional primary to flip an open Republican-held seat on Long Island.
Mr. Avlon, a moderate who once worked for Rudolph W. Giuliani and helped found the centrist political group No Labels, has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald J. Trump and the Republican Party he reshaped in recent years. He rose to prominence as a sharp critic of
In an interview, Avron, 51, said he was forced to step out of journalism and into political warfare to “break the heat” and oust “MAGA stooges who won't solve problems that are in the national interest.” He said he felt it.
“I felt the seriousness of the times,'' he says.
Winning the Suffolk County race won't be easy for Democrats. The seat is currently held by first-term Republican Rep. Nick Larota. In 2020, President Biden won the district by a margin of 0.2 percentage points, but two years later, Mr. Larota won by 11 points.
Democrats in Washington do not currently view the district as a top target on par with more lucrative suburban swing seats in other parts of New York. But things could still change, as Albany Democrats consider whether to use a rare court-ordered redistricting process in mid-decade to draw more favorable congressional maps. be.
And on Long Island, there were signs of optimism for Democrats last week when Tom Suozzi won a special election flipping the adjoining Queens and Nassau County seats held by Republican George Santos. Ta.
But before that, Mr. Avlon is likely to face an uphill battle in the Democratic primary in June. Nancy Goroff, a wealthy retired chemistry professor who ran unsuccessfully in 2020, is considered the frontrunner. Former state Sen. Jim Gaughan and former legislative aide Kyle Hill are also seeking nominations.
In an interview, Avlon said Golov's poor 2020 result “kind of speaks for itself,” and argued that he is in a unique position to pitch a big tent for voters.
He cited threats to abortion rights and the dangers of climate change as his top campaign priorities. But he also said Democrats should learn from Suozzi's successful strategy and “take an aggressive stance” on issues such as crime and the immigration crisis hitting the southern border.
“This is too important to lose. We need a candidate who can appeal and energize not only Democrats but also independents,” he said. “It's simple math.”
Mr. Avlon has deep ties to New York City politics and journalism. He served as a policy adviser and chief speechwriter to Mr. Giuliani during his mayoral and presidential campaigns, or, in Mr. Avlon's words, “when he was sane.” Avron later joined The Daily Beast as a columnist and was promoted to editor-in-chief before joining CNN as a full-time on-air commentator in 2018.
However, the connection with the area is shallow. A longtime Manhattan resident, he and his wife Margaret Hoover bought a home in Sag Harbor, a wealthy enclave in the Hamptons, in 2017. She is a conservative and hosts the PBS talk show “Firing Lines.” Avron voted in Suffolk County for the first time in 2020, according to voting records.
Critics of both parties waited just a moment Thursday to launch their attacks.
“Mr. Abron knows nothing about Suffolk County other than croquet games in Sag Harbor and summer cocktail parties in Bridgehampton,” said Will Kiley, Mr. Larota's spokesman. He called Avlon a “Manhattan elitist” and the Republican incumbent “the voice of common-sense conservatives.”
Mr. Golov was more diplomatic, saying, “We welcome anyone who is ready to join the fight.” But behind the scenes, her allies have already stepped up attacks on Avlon's residency and political history with the Republican Party, which are likely to surface in the coming months.
Susan C. Beachy contributed to research.
