Anthony D’Esposito vs Laura Gillen: Will Republicans keep Long Island's NY-4?
NEW YORK - Election Day 2024 is here, and Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito is fighting to retain his seat against Democratic challenger Laura Gillen in New York's fourth congressional district. This Long Island area is notably Democratic-leaning, with a majority of registered voters affiliated with the party.
D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective, has accused Gillen of being soft on crime and blames Democratic policies for rising migrant numbers. Gillen, a former town supervisor, vows to enhance law enforcement and border security if elected.
JUMP TO: Who is Anthony D'Esposito? | Who is Laura Gillen?
NY-4 live election results
New York's 4th congressional district
Long Island, just east of New York City, could play a key role in deciding which party controls Congress. Home to about 3 million people, it’s become a battleground despite being in deep-blue New York, according to the Associated Press.
This includes New York's fourth congressional district, accounting for southern and central Nassau County.
Even though Biden won NY-4 by 15 percentage points in 2020, D’Esposito narrowly defeated Gillen by four points in 2022. But many polls show their 2024 rematch to be a "toss-up," like the nonpartisan Cook Political Report and the Center for Politics.
Who is Anthony D'Esposito?
WASHINGTON - JULY 17: Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, R-N.Y., is seen in the Fiserv Forum on the third night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on Wednesday July 17, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Before entering the political sphere, D'Esposito was a detective with the NYPD and chief of the Island Park Fire Department, according to this campaign biography.
In 2016, he began serving on Hempstead's town council and held the position until he was elected to Congress. Several members of his immediate family also held political positions in Nassau County, according to the New York Times.
He serves on a handful of congressional committees, including the House Committee on Homeland Security, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House Committee on House Administration. D’Esposito has made public safety a priority of his campaigns and boasts of delivering millions of federal dollars to help local law enforcement.
D'Esposito scandal
D’Esposito may have violated ethics rules designed to combat nepotism and corruption, according to a New York Times article that alleges the longtime Republican had his fiancée’s daughter on his payroll as well as his mistress.
The congressional representative allegedly paid his mistress $29,000, according to the article that says payments stopped last summer, around the time his fiancée found out about his mistress.
D’Esposito, Gillen face off in tight NY-4 race
As the race for New York’s 4th Congressional District on Long Island heats up, an Oct. 26 poll shows Democratic challenger Laura Gillen leading Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito by 12 points. Both candidates, who faced off in 2022, are gearing up for a rematch with national implications, as control of Congress may hang in the balance. FOX 5’s Jodi Goldberg reports.
While the House Ethics Committee isn’t commenting, the House Code of Conduct prohibits members of Congress from employing relatives, including stepchildren, and forbids members from engaging in sexual relationships with employees under their supervision.
"There are absolutely zero ethics violations, and my personal life is my personal life," D’Esposito told FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg in a recent interview.
"The only reason it stopped is because he got caught," Gillen told Goldberg.
Political positions
NYC voters sound off: Reproductive rights
As the 2024 election approaches, reproductive rights are a key issue for voters across the nation. FOX 5’s Sharon Crowley breaks down the stances of the two leading candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, on abortion and reproductive health, and spoke with New Yorkers to hear their opinions.
D'Esposito on abortion
D'Esposito says he has never supported a national abortion ban and opposed efforts to restrict the accessibility of Mifepristone, according to his website.
D'Esposito on Israel
D'Esposito said he believes the United States must support Israel’s right to self-defense against ongoing threats from Hamas and Iran, while also countering economic aggression through the "Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions," (BDS) movement. He emphasizes standing with Israel to ensure its security and sovereignty, pledging to oppose any re-entry into the Iran nuclear deal.
D'Esposito also plans to strengthen military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, preserve policies like the Taylor Force Act, and maintain the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
D'Esposito on economy
According to D'Esposito, the economy has not fully rebounded from COVID-19-related business closures and mandates. He said he believes in lifting the regulatory barriers and lowering the tax burden facing families and small businesses.
He blames inflation and the high cost of living on President Joe Biden and Democrats, including his opponent.
"She’s no good for taxes, the economy, the border," he said. "There is no doubt that Gillen has been rejected twice, and she'll be rejected a third time because people in [NY-4] know she's not right for the state or country."
Who is Laura Gillen?
UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 17: Laura Gillen, Democratic candidate for New York's 4th Congressional District, listens to the National Anthem during a campaign rally with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in Hempstead, N.Y., on Thursday, Octo
Gillen began serving as supervisor for Hempstead in 2017, the first Democrat elected to the position in 112 years. She is also an attorney and a mother of four.
The Democratic candidate said she is confident in her ability to flip her district.
"We have far more resources this time so we’re really making sure that we are out there talking not just to Democratic voters but to independent and Republican voters," she told FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg.
Political positions
Gillen on immigration
Gillen said she plans to work with both parties to secure the border, increase border patrol funding, invest in technology, and expedite asylum processes. She supports federal aid to New York for managing the migrant crisis and backs an earned pathway to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants.
Gillen on abortion
Gillen said opposes anti-abortion extremism and supports reinstating Roe v. Wade protections, passing the Women’s Health Protection Act, and safeguarding access to contraception and IVF.
Gillen on gun safety
She said she advocates for universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and expanding New York’s red flag laws to prevent violence.
Gillen on Israel
Gillen said she supports Israel, calling for the hostages’ return and a two-state solution, per her campaign's website.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.