The Democratic primary in New York's First Congressional District is June 25, and either John Avlon or Nancy Goroff will emerge to take on the first-term Republican incumbent, Nick LaLota, in the Nov. 5 general election.
The League of Women Voters hosted a rather tepid debate between the two last week, and now News 12 Long Island will air another one on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on its "Power & Politics" show. Questions from viewers will be in the mix.
In the latest campaign news, Jay Jacobs, the chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee, who had previously endorsed Mr. Avlon, took on his opponent.
Mr. Avlon, a former CNN political analyst who lives in Sag Harbor, "has built a campaign that draws on real local support and enthusiasm — in contrast to Nancy Goroff, who loaned herself $1.2 million to just run negative attacks against John," Mr. Jacobs said in a statement. "John outraised Nancy Goroff and Nick LaLota in this filing period, and that should tell you everything you need to know who is the right candidate to flip this seat and help Democrats take back the House majority this fall."
"When Democrats in a primary resort to attacking other Democrats solely in the hope of winning that primary but with no care to the consequences if they do not, they lay bare the selfishness that motivates them — which is unbecoming to public service," he said.
A steady stream of negative mailers attacking Mr. Avlon, one picturing a laughing Rudy Giuliani emerging from his right shoulder saying Mr. Avlon "worked as a Republican operative for years," with a smiling photo of Ms. Goroff on the opposite side, has been funded by the 314 Action political action committee. The name is a play on the mathematical term, pi, and the PAC's stated goal is to elect STEM-educated Democrats. Ms. Goroff was once the chairwoman of the chemistry department at Stony Brook University.
Maggie Touchon, the campaign manager for Goroff for Congress, said she was unfamiliar with the mailer and that it was unaffiliated with the Goroff campaign.
Early voting is being held through June 23 at the Windmill Village housing complex in East Hampton and the student activity center on the Stony Brook Southampton campus.
