LONG ISLAND, NY — Polls are closed on Long Island and residents have cast their ballots for two candidates, incumbent Nick LaLota,a Republican, and challenger Chris Gallant, a Democrat, in the race for the 1st Congressional District Seat.
As of 10:50 p.m., LaLota took the lead; he had 132,037 votes, or 50.48 percent, of the votes, with Gallant garnering 129,399 votes, or 49.47 percent, with 475 of 561 districts reporting.
When speaking about his accomplishments so far in the position, LaLota said: "I spent 11 years as a Navy officer, including three deployments, learning that leadership means accepting responsibility and accomplishing the mission.As an Amityville Village trustee, I helped reduce Village debt by more than 20 percent. In Congress, I've helped quadruple the SALT deduction, protected approximately $53 million annually for Stony Brook Medicine, and secured substantial federal investments for Suffolk County. The Lugar Center ranks me more bipartisan than 85 percent of Congress. My record shows I can manage public resources, work with people who disagree with me, and turn priorities into results."
Meanwhile, Gallant, explained: "As an air traffic controller, firefighter, and Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot, I have real experience in high-stress, critical situations. As a union leader, I stood up for labor rights and the hardships working people and families in New York are facing, and learned how to unite people from different backgrounds in service of a common goal. I'll take all these experiences to Congress to continue my public service at the highest level. My platform is based on a 6-point mission plan for Long Island. PFAS are a threat to our waters and we must allocate funding to protect our sole-source aquifer. Reducing nitrogen pollution, preventing harmful algal blooms, and securing federal support for modern wastewater and septic infrastructure is vital to my mission. I have been endorsed by Sierra Club and Stand Up for Science."
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