2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Nick LaLota currently holds this seat
High confidenceHigh confidenceBacked by government records or the candidate's own official statements, with agreement across several independent sources.What would raise it: Nothing missing — this is the strongest evidence tier.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Affordability: federal investment to bring down the cost of housing, energy and basic goods on Long Island.
Protecting Medicare and Medicaid and lowering out-of-pocket costs for seniors.
Infrastructure and coastal resilience for Long Island's shoreline communities.
Government accountability with measurable outcomes.
Equipping first responders.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Military pilot with multiple deployments to Kuwait.
FAA air traffic controller and union leader; volunteer firefighter.
Also carries the Working Families Party line on the November ballot.
Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He is a Black Hawk pilot in the Army and National Guard who deployed to Kuwait, an FAA air traffic controller, a union leader and a volunteer firefighter — a record of service against an opponent he calls a career politician.
— Chris Gallant's campaign
National Democrats added this seat to their target list in August 2026, treating his candidacy as one of the party's real chances to take a Republican-held seat on Long Island.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Arguments against
LaLota has dismissed him as "weak and woke," arguing that the Democratic ticket on Long Island has moved away from the voters it used to represent: "the Democrat Party is no longer the party of Kennedy, Clinton, or even Obama."
— Nick LaLota, his opponent
What we couldn’t verify
Only one published criticism of Gallant by name could be found. Searches of his name against the National Republican Congressional Committee and against news coverage returned no dedicated attack material, which is common for a first-time candidate this early.
His positions on immigration and taxation were not stated in material available.
His fundraising totals against the incumbent's reported $1.7 million were not published in the material found.
U.S. Representative for the 1st District since January 2023.
U.S. Navy veteran.
Also carries the Conservative Party line on the November ballot.
Advanced from the June 23, 2026 Republican primary.
Arguments in favor
He negotiated the quadrupling of the state and local tax deduction cap, which his office says saves some Suffolk County families as much as $8,000 on their federal returns — the issue that matters most in a high-tax Long Island district.
— Nick LaLota's congressional office
He has held this seat by more than ten points and entered the summer with a $1.7 million war chest, which his side reads as evidence the district is comfortable with his record.
— Nick LaLota's campaign
Arguments against
As Amityville's budget officer he proposed abolishing the village police department and backed a plan that took $123,000 in overtime wages from officers, while his proposals would have raised residents' taxes by up to 11%.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
He voted for the 2025 reconciliation bill that strips Medicaid from vulnerable people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, and he is a career politician who does not live in the district he represents.
— Chris Gallant, his opponent, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
What we couldn’t verify
His campaign homepage is biographical and fundraising-oriented; his specific 2026 positions beyond the SALT deduction are not published in the material available.
His committee assignments were not established from the sources found.
His response to the DCCC's claims about his time as Amityville budget officer and about his residency has not been published in the material found.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
New York held its primary on June 23, 2026. Two candidates are on the November ballot in this eastern Suffolk County district: Republican incumbent Nick LaLota, who also carries the Conservative Party line, and Democrat Chris Gallant, who beat Lukas Ventouras in the primary. Jordan Maggio and Thomas Sorensen, earlier reported as independent candidates, were not certified for the ballot. New York allows fusion voting, so a candidate can appear on more than one party line. New York's 2026 elections use the congressional map enacted on February 28, 2024: a state court ordered a redraw of the 11th District in January 2026, but the U.S. Supreme Court blocked it in March and the case was dismissed. The Democratic congressional committee added this seat to its target list in August 2026. Roster checked against the State Board of Elections' certification of November candidates (amended October 7, 2026). Candidates are listed in the certification's order.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A New York ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at New York State Board of Elections.