State Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown) has filed to run for New York’s 4th Congressional District.
Thomas joins the race as the sixth Democratic candidate to announce their run, joining former Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen and Olympic medalist Sarah Hughes, among others.
Thomas has served in the Senate since 2017 and is currently the only Democrat representing Long Island in the upper house.
Incumbent Anthony D’Espositio (R-Island Park), who was elected last year, currently holds a fund-raising lead over his Democratic challengers.
D’Esposito raised nearly $600,000 during the three-month period covering April through June, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Gillen, who lost to D’Esposito for the 4th Congressional District seat in 2022, reported raising $373,336 last quarter with $340,031 in the bank.
D’Esposito’s contributions of $592,453 mark a 13.8% decrease from the $674,521 he raised last quarter but is still more than both Democratic hopefuls Gillen and Hughes reported receiving when added together.
D’Esposito is one of 18 House Republicans–alongside indicted 3rd District Rep. George Santos–who represent districts President Joe Biden won in 2020. Biden won NY-4 by 17 points. In New York, Democrats lost six congressional races last year that Biden carried in 2020.
Three of the six Democrats who have filed to run for the 4th District—Lawrence Henry, Patricia Maher and Gian Jones—did not report any funds raised this quarter.
The 4th Congressional District currently includes the communities of Baldwin, Bellmore, East Rockaway, East Meadow, the Five Towns, Lynbrook, Floral Park, Franklin Square, Garden City, Garden City Park, Hempstead, Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Malverne, Freeport, Merrick, Mineola, Carle Place, New Hyde Park, Oceanside, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Uniondale, Wantagh, West Hempstead, Westbury and parts of Valley Stream.
District lines may change ahead of the 2024 election due to an Appellate Division ruling Thursday that rendered the new House maps approved last year as only a temporary fix.
