Eastern Suffolk Democrats pledge unity in 1st Congressional primary

Democrats in eastern Suffolk County are trying to show discipline before the June 23 primary, with both candidates in the 1st Congressional District saying they would back the winner if they fall short in the race to challenge Republican incumbent Nick LaLota.

That pledge came out of the first debate between Lukas Ventouras, 25, of Northport, and Christopher Gallant, 36, an air traffic controller, Black Hawk helicopter pilot and volunteer firefighter with the Copiague Fire Department. The two met May 27 at the Jamesport Meeting House in an event sponsored by the Southold and Riverhead Democratic committees, putting two sharply different profiles in front of voters across the East End and the northern part of Brookhaven Town.

Ventouras has paused law school and is running on affordability and directness, aiming to appeal to voters squeezed by the cost of living across Suffolk County. Gallant is leaning on a public-safety resume that spans aviation, military service and firefighting, casting himself as a candidate with practical experience and a steadier hand for the district’s day-to-day problems. The unity pledge matters because both men know that in a district as hard to flip as New York’s 1st, a fractured party could hand LaLota an easier path in November.

The field is larger than the two debate participants. Ballotpedia lists Christopher Gallant, Luca Nascimbene, Jonathan Schneider and Lukas Ventouras in the Democratic primary, and Democrats Long Island says five Democrats are competing for the chance to take on LaLota. That broader lineup means the winner on June 23 will need to consolidate support quickly from defeated rivals and their backers in Riverhead, Southold, Copiague, Amity Harbor and other communities that make up the East End of Long Island.

The New York State Board of Elections has set the primary for June 23, 2026, with early voting running June 13 through June 21 and the registration deadline for the primary already passed on June 13. The general election is set for Nov. 3, 2026. NY-1 covers two-thirds of Suffolk County, including the entire East End and the northern portion of Brookhaven Town, and LaLota’s November 2024 win over Democrat John Avlon underscored how steep the climb remains for Democrats. For that reason, the post-primary truce is more than a gesture. It is an early test of whether Suffolk Democrats can keep the district united long enough to make the fall competitive.