By Hank Russell
In what was one of the most highly publicized races this primary season, John Avlon defeated challenger Nancy Goroff to be the Democratic candidate for the 1st Congressional District on June 25. According to the Suffolk County Board of Elections website, Avlon garnered 19,026 votes, or 70.11% of the vote, while Goroff collected only 8,053 votes, or 29.68% of the vote.
Avlon, a former CNN anchor and author, built his platform mainly on “defend[ing] democracy” and “win[ning] back the House from [Donald Trump’s] extreme MAGA minions,” according to his website. His main issues focused on eliminating the SALT (state and local taxes) cap, abortion rights, investing in local infrastructure and fighting climate change.
“I am blown away,” he told a crowd of supporters. “Today, we proved that the positive defeats the negative. Today, we showed the politics of addition can defeat the politics of division. … Now is the time for all Suffolk County Democrats to come together.
Goroff, a former chemistry professor at Stony Brook University, showed off her progressive credentials, receiving endorsements from EMILYs List and being honored by the local Planned Parenthood chapter. According to her website, she founded a nonprofit that helped defeat 20 Moms for Liberty school board candidates who she considered to be “extremist” and who “were trying to ban books.”
Her platform focused on abortion and women’s rights, workers’ rights, gun control, protecting democracy, supporting public education and fighting climate change. She also called for the expansion of healthcare for all, providing a path to citizenship for DREAMers and protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
She conceded the race to Avlon. “This was not the result I was expecting,” she told her supporters. “But I am so proud of this team.”
Avlon will now face incumbent Republican Nick LaLota.
In other races:
4th Assembly District (Democratic)
In the Democratic primary race for the 4th Assembly DIstrict, Rebecca Kassay, a village trustee and deputy mayor of Port Jefferson and the co-owner of a bed and breakfast, beat Skyler Johnson, a member of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Action Fund and co-chair of the organization’s Equal Rights Amendment working group, by a vote of 3,395-1,909. 6th Senate District (Democratic) Siela Bynoe, the Alternate MInority Leader for the Nassau County Legislature, won a close race against New York State Assemblywoman Taylor Darling. Bynoe (D-Westbury) received 6,253 votes (53.21% of the vote) to Darling’s 5,448 votes (46.36% of the vote).
7th Senate District (Democratic)
Kim Keiserman, a former social studies teacher and president of the Port Washington Democratic Club, handily won her race against former TV editor/producer Brad Schwartz, 6,905-2,230. Keiserman got 75.14% of the vote, while Schwartz received only 24.27% of the vote. According to his website, Schwartz is the first LGBTQ+ candidate to run for state Senate on Long Island.
18th Assembly District
In a race that was decided by fewer than 200 votes, Noah Burroughs, a Hempstead Village trustee, beat Lisa Orti, the founder and CEO of a childcare company, by a vote of 2,727-2,556. Burroughs got 51.46% of the vote compared to 48.24% that Ortiz received.
21st Assembly District
Judy Griffin, who previously served in the Assembly and served as director of community outreach for then-New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky, won in a landslide over Patriicia Maher, vice president of the Baldwin Democrat Club 2023, as Griffin got 3,425 votes (84.44%) while Maher garnered only 624 votes (15.38%)
All election results are unofficial as of press time.