LaLota Defends Record as Election Day Approaches in NY-01

Incumbent Republican Nick LaLota said he has helped quadruple the SALT deduction from $10,000 to $40,000, secured more than $40 million in federal funding for Suffolk County governments, and protected roughly $53 million annually for Stony Brook Medicine. He said he has participated in more than 20 in-person town halls and accepted debate invitations from NewsdayTV and News 12. "My opponent initially accepted, then declined," LaLota said.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. LaLota, who will be 48 on that date, is running against Democrat Chris Gallant for the representative seat in New York's 1st Congressional District. Redistricting placed the North and South Forks, Riverhead, the northern part of Brookhaven Town, all of Smithtown and all of Huntington within the district's boundaries.

LaLota graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2000 and earned an MBA and a law degree from Hofstra University. He spent 11 years as a Navy officer with three deployments. Before Congress, he served as an Amityville Village trustee and budget officer, Suffolk County's Republican Elections Commissioner, Chief of Staff to a State Senator, and Chief of Staff to the Suffolk County Legislature. As an Amityville Village trustee, he said he helped reduce village debt by more than 20 percent.

On affordability, LaLota said, "Affordability, especially the cost of staying on Long Island" is the single most pressing issue facing constituents. He said he also needs help from Albany on lower energy costs, attainable housing and government spending. The Lugar Center ranks him more bipartisan than 85 percent of Congress, he said, and he holds the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's endorsement.

Regarding immigration enforcement, LaLota said he supports border security and cooperation between federal and local law enforcement. He said enforcement should be professional and respect due process. He opposed sanctuary policies on Suffolk County communities. "Sanctuary policies that prevent local police from communicating with federal authorities can make dangerous situations even more dangerous for officers, residents, and those being arrested," LaLota said.

On infrastructure, LaLota said he secured federal funding for road resurfacing in Brookhaven and Huntington, drainage improvements in Miller Place and Sound Beach, and water infrastructure throughout Suffolk County. Regarding water quality, he said he secured funding to connect PFAS-affected homes in Calverton to clean public water and pushed the Navy to address contamination from former facilities.

LaLota is married to his high school sweetheart, Kaylie, and they are raising three daughters on Long Island. His father advised him, "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see." "My father taught me to think independently. That's something I've tried to do throughout my life," LaLota said.