John Avlon gets a 'thank you' from Liz Cheney

Daily Point

National GOP clash in CD1

There is always a debate as to whether "outside" endorsements from state or national figures help a candidate whose votes are confined to a single district.

Centrist Democrat John Avlon’s endorsement by Liz Cheney is unique but not for its aisle-crossing. After all, the former GOP House member from Wyoming and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney is backing Kamala Harris for president. Avlon is widely viewed as the underdog in the CD1 race and has been making the rounds of civic associations to shore up and develop grassroots support. It was in his recent role as a widely watched CNN commentator that Avlon vigorously spoke up for Cheney. In early 2022, more than a year after the pro-Donald Trump, Jan. 6 siege at the Capitol, he lashed out at her censure by the Trump-controlled Republican Party for doing her job and joining the congressional committee probing the insurrection.

If it’s no mystery that Cheney would now endorse the now-Democratic Sag Harbor resident, it’s just as unsurprising that ex-Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who was the Jan. 6 committee’s only other Republican, is now serving as chairman of the ad hoc "Republicans for John Avlon." Both Kinzinger and Cheney were censured by the dissent-crushing national GOP at the same time.

Back then, the censure measure was supported by New York’s three Republican National Committee delegates led by statewide GOP chairman and now Rep. Nick Langworthy. The Buffalo-area congressman branded both Cheney and Kinzinger as "willful tools" of Democrats who were "aiding and abetting" the rival party’s agenda with a "sham" riot inquiry.

In a statement released this week, Cheney can be said to have verbally reciprocated for Avlon’s past media support, stating: "John Avlon is a patriot who believes in defending the Constitution and putting country over party. We need smart and serious elected officials, like John, in Congress who will protect our freedom and democracy. He’s a uniter, not a divider, and he will be a strong voice for restoring common sense problem-solving to Congress." She does not mention incumbent Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, who was elected later in 2022 to succeed Rep. Lee Zeldin.

Well to the west of CD1, Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who like LaLota is in his first term, seeks to fend off a challenge from Laura Gillen, the former Town of Hempstead supervisor. She stands to share indirectly in some "outside" party support, too.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has a reputational stake in clawing back New York congressional seats Republicans won two years ago, is due Tuesday night at the Nassau County Democratic Committee’s fall dinner, as is Attorney General Tish James, at the Crest Hollow Country Club. The fundraiser will help support the party’s election operations.

Three weeks to go to Election Day, and the local, state and national noise blends into a cacophony.

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

Pencil Point

Different blokes

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Quick Points

A 'modest' proposal

• Hempstead Town is planning a 12.1% tax increase, which Supervisor Don Clavin termed in his budget proposal letter "a modest positive adjustment to property-based revenues." That likely was the first time any elected official anywhere referred to a 12.1% tax hike as "modest" and "positive."
• Boeing announced it would cut 17,000 jobs, about 10% of its workforce, to reduce costs. Too bad there’s no way to guarantee that those 17,000 jobs will include everyone who contributed to the production problems that have plagued Boeing.
• Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds supported former President Donald Trump’s threat to withhold aid from California because of its environmental rules by saying that California should do more to prevent wildfires. Using that logic, perhaps Florida should do more to prevent hurricanes.
• Windows on many Long Island Rail Road trains are deteriorating, leaving passengers looking out the windows with murky views. Seems like a much larger metaphor, doesn’t it?
• As both New York baseball teams play in their league championship series, NYC Mayor Eric Adams wore a cap that bore logos of both the Yankees and the Mets. And quickly learned that this is one issue that is never bipartisan.

— Michael Dobie michael.dobie@newsday.com

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