Primary Day 2026: Lukas Ventouras Wages Democratic Primary For NY's 1st Congressional District

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — As Primary Day unfolds Tuesday, all eyes are on the 1st Congressional District, where two candidates are waging a Democratic primary race with the hopes of unseating incumbent Nick LaLota, a Republican, who is running to retain his seat in the general election this November.

Christopher Gallant and Lukas Ventouras are facing off in Tuesday's primary election with the hope of running on the Democratic line for the 1st Congressional District, which spans the five East End towns, Huntington and Smithtown, as well as the northern portion of Brookhaven.

Voting takes place from 6 a.m. from 9 p.m. Tuesday. To find your polling location, click here.

Ahead of the election, Patch posed several questions to Ventouras, from Northport, about his platform, priorities, experience, and district. See his replies below.

Name

Lukas Ventouras

How old will you be as of Election Day?

25

Does your campaign have a website?

Lukasforcongress.com

What city or town do you live in?

Northport, NY

What office are you seeking?

U.S. House of Representatives

If you are running in a district, you can specify the district here.

NY-01

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

NYU -Undergrad

St. Johns - Law School, nearly finished.

What is your occupation?

Right now, nothing. I am a candidate.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I do not have my own family yet, but I have a lovely girlfriend who I hope to make my wife, and two very supportive parents and a supportive younger brother.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

No

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for waging a primary and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running this race to bring incorruptible leadership back to Suffolk county, and because the Democratic part has lost its way, and no longer resonates with a majority of people.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing constituents is:

Corruption. Our cost of living crisis, and all other crises we face, are downstream of our corruption problem.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on LI?

First and foremost, updating our waste systems, and preferably, installing sewers, protecting our water table, and moving towards eco friendly landscaping and farming practices, doing away with overly chemical fertilizers.

What do you think can be done to help improve our infrastructure, highways, etc.?

We have so much outdated infrastructure and I think we should, first and foremost, look at fixing our roads, and expanding access to public transportation. Existing public transit infrastructure means we are far better equipped than the rest of the country at becoming a public transit powerhouse, so after refurbishment, should come expansion, more train lines, and more access for Suffolk residents.

How would you plan to help local business owners, who are struggling because of high rents, inflation and labor shortages?

The federal government needs to prove that it truly cares about Main Street, meaning it needs to step in to end price gouging from distributors, take steps to ensure, unlike this administration, that supply chains are not being artificially messed with, and incentivize or subsidize local businesses in their pursuit of hiring staff, or potential expansion.

How are federal issues impacting local government?

Federal gridlock hurts working class communities, as our representatives no longer really “represent” us. When our problems fall on deaf ears, what progress is there to be made?

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

I actually live in this district, and the money I take is completely grass roots. Additionally, I didn’t need the consultant class to formulate a “platform” for me. My vision of leadership is showing up, listening to the concerns of my constituents, and how I can best assist them in increasing their quality of life, and executing on that mission. The vanity politics should be left in the past.

What other issues have you addressed during your campaign?

Healthcare costs, housing prices, government corruption.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I may be young, but I have achieved a great deal in my life, whether that be working in a Congressional office, on several high level campaigns, in civil rights law, organizing, or my time in journalism, and I feel well equipped to not only understand the issues of our day, but to navigate the political work around solving those issues.

You and your opponent have said publicly that you would support one another, no matter who wins. Can you explain why this is so important during this critical race?

I think it is important to lay ego to the side and understand that we are engaged in a battle that is truly greater than oneself. We want to flip this district.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I promise to always put this needs of this district first. I want to be your mouthpiece and vehicle for change