Former CNN anchor John Avlon on Wednesday announced a run for Congress.
Avlon will join the crowded field of Democrats in New York’s first congressional district running to unseat incumbent freshman Republican Rep. Nick LaLota.
“I believe the United States is the greatest democracy the world has ever known. But right now, our democracy is in danger,” Avlon said in a video. posted to X. “This election is not a drill. It’s up to all of us to step up and get off the sidelines. And that’s why I’m running for Congress, in New York’s first district. There’s just too much at stake for the country and the community that I love.”
Avlon also took aim at Trump and “his MAGA minions, who don’t even seem interested in solving problems anymore.”
The announcement comes two weeks after Avlon left CNN. He was also the former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and a co-founder of the “No Labels” centrist group.
He will be running against former state Sen. James Gaughran, former New York City administrative law judge Craig Herskowitz, and organic chemist Nancy Goroff in the Democratic primary.
Earlier this month, Democrats flipped New York’s third congressional district seat in a special election where Tom Suozzi defeated Republican Mazi Pilip to fill the vacancy left by the expulsion of fabulist and accused fraudster George Santos.
