D'Esposito, Gillen rematch in Long Island swing district could be key to U.S. House majority
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- As Election Day nears, the rematch between Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito and Democratic challenger Laura Gillen in New York's 4th congressional district is one of the most competitive races of 2024.
D'Esposito won the NY-04 seat in 2022, when he defeated Gillen in the Long Island district.
Swing district flipped red in 2022
From its beach towns to the Five Towns and up to Hempstead and Garden City, the district along Nassau County's south shore covers wealthy and working class communities.
The congressional seat has flipped from red to blue, and back to red, even though it has more registered Democrats.
Gillen, an attorney, mother of four and former Town of Hempstead supervisor is trying to flip it back to the Democrats.
"People are sick of this. They're sick of the hyper-partisanship. They just want common sense, effective leadership," Gillen said.
Two years ago, Gillen lost the seat by 10,000 votes to D'Esposito, a former cop and town councilman.
"The same things that were bothering people in this district two years ago are the same things that are bothering them now, only the magnitude has grown," D'Esposito said.
National issues take center stage in key race
National issues are driving the race, Long Island-style.
"The border is an issue, crime is an issue, quality of life, cost of living, people are going to the supermarket. It's not just about taxes anymore," D'Esposito said.
"He told us he would get us our SALT deduction back. He's been in the majority for two years, and he's failed," Gillen said. "He is, voted consistently against reproductive freedom."
"I would never support a nationwide abortion ban," D'Esposito said. "This is the party who tries to claim that they're protecting women, but yet we're allowing people who have committed rape and other sexual offenses across our southern border."
"He's had a seat at the table for two years. He hasn't secured our border," Gillen said.
In a district that borders Queens, both candidates oppose New York City congestion pricing. They also pledge solidarity with Israel; the district is 16% Jewish.
Both candidates trying to appeal to middle
Gillen says D'Esposito rubberstamped the "MAGA agenda." D'Esposito paints Gillen as pandering to the "radical left." Both candidates say they are in the middle, where their constituents live.
"Start solving problems together. We need to start talking to each other more. We need to not vilify the other side, but work with the other side," Gillen said.
"I don't win a seat like this where there's 74,000 more Democrats than Republicans without appealing and without gaining the trust of Democrats and independents," D'Esposito said. "I've governed in a bipartisan fashion. I've been part of coalitions."
One of those coalitions, D'Esposito voted to expel fellow Long Island Republican George Santos from Congress.
On the attack, Gillen says allegations D'Esposito hired a lover and his fiancée's daughter are no joke.
"He's engaged in cronyism and nepotism and peddled corruption out of every office that he's held," Gillen said.
D'Esposito says his personal life is personal.
"There has been zero ethics violated," he said. "People do hire people that they know."