Nick Lalota and John Avlon spar over affordability, abortion in NewsdayTV debate

Republican U.S. Rep. Nicholas LaLota and Democratic challenger John Avlon made their case to voters in a televised debate on NewsdayTV that aired Monday, wrangling over issues that included affordability, immigration, foreign policy and reproductive rights.

LaLota and Avlon are vying to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District, which spans from Montauk to Huntington. The two-year term comes with a $174,000 annual salary.

LaLota, 46, of Amityville is seeking his second term in Congress. Avlon, 51, is a journalist who left his job at CNN in February to run for office and has a home in Sag Harbor.

The hourlong debate was moderated by Newsday Associate Editor and columnist Joye Brown, with pre-recorded questions from residents. 

Affordability 

The two differed on ways to address Long Island’s housing affordability crisis although they staunchly agreed on raising the $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction (SALT).

Avlon suggested offering tax credits to redevelop land around aging strip malls and potentially build residential housing atop existing commercial development. LaLota said the federal government should not be involved in that process.

"If that's [redeveloping strip malls] the desire of a village mayor, a town supervisor or county executive, it's their choice," LaLota said. "The fed shouldn't step into nor should the state government. That's not what Long Island needs whatsoever."

LaLota accused Avlon of not using his position on CNN to support a House bill that would have raised the SALT deduction limit for married people, but failed 195-225 in a Feb. 14 vote. LaLota blamed Democrats, but the bill included a resolution that condemned the Biden administration's energy policies, amounting to what Avlon called a “poison pill.” 

Immigration

Both candidates said the country should do more to limit illegal immigration into the country, but differed on how.

LaLota said Congress should reinstate Trump-era border policies like "Remain in Mexico" for those seeking asylum. He also highlighted a bill passed by the Republican-controlled House in May 2023 that would direct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to resume the construction of a wall along the southern border.

Avlon called legal migration the country’s "greatest renewable resource" and criticized Avlon for balking at a bipartisan bill that would have boosted the number of customs and border personnel and would have directed $1.4 billion in aid to cities that are assisting migrants.

Avlon said LaLota mocked the bill at the urging of Trump, a claim LaLota denied following the debate.

Abortion

Avlon, who said he supports reproductive freedoms, criticized LaLota for calling the overturning of Roe v. Wade a "step in the right direction." LaLota previously made the statement on his website but has since taken it down.

"I believe deeply that the decision should be between a woman, her doctor, and her God, not the government," Avlon said.

LaLota said he would not support a national abortion ban and called the matter a "state issue." LaLota has said he does not oppose abortions in the first trimester. Avlon equated that stance with support for a ban on abortions after 12 weeks.

The congressman then turned the conversation to New York’s Proposition 1, which would protect people from discrimination based on gender identity and reproductive freedom. LaLota claimed it would codify "the right of a man to play in a girls sport."

Later in the debate Avlon, in commenting on the U.S. Supreme Court, said the five conservative justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade did so after calling the case "super precedent," a term that largely means the issue is settled.

The conservative justices — Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — did not say the case was super precedent during their confirmation hearings.

Avlon on Sunday clarified that while those justices did not explicitly use the term “super precedent” during their confirmation hearings, Kavanaugh had said it was “settled as precedent” and Gorsuch and Alito made comments suggested it was settled as the law of the land.

Town halls

The topic of in-person town halls was raised during the debate, an issue that spoke to LaLota's availability with constituents. 

LaLota during the debate said he held 10 in-person town hall meetings during his tenure, while Avlon said he held zero.

The events LaLota refers to were organized by third party organizations. Following the debate LaLota told Newsday those events were open to the public and did not require an entry fee. He did not commit to hosting an in-person town hall if elected to a second term.

Israel-Hamas war

LaLota stressed the importance of standing up to Iran, which he said fights wars through proxies like Hamas.

Avlon called for support for Israel and the U.S. should play a leadership role in working toward a two-state solution with a demilitarized Palestinian state. He condemned antisemitism while also stressing the importance of showing support for Muslim people. He also said the U.S. should help rebuild Gaza once Hamas is defeated.

"The other lesson of being a member of the 9/11 generation is that we don't create a new generation of terrorists," he said.

A video of the debate can be viewed at newsday.com/tv.

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese covers Suffolk County government and politics. She joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.