This Gay Veteran And Firefighter Is Taking Aim At A US Congress Seat
A new candidate has just entered the political arena, and his résumé is one for the books. Chris Gallant, an army veteran and volunteer firefighter, has announced his campaign for a congressional seat in New York, hoping to win the spot for the Democrats.
He is challenging the two-term Republican incumbent, Representative Nick LaLota, for New York’s District 1, a historically conservative area covering the eastern part of Long Island.
A lifetime of service before politics.
At 36, Gallant’s career has been defined by public service. He joined the New York Army National Guard at just 17 before becoming a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. His work history also includes time as an air traffic controller with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a union leader, and a volunteer firefighter in his local community.
“My entire life’s been kind of grounded in service,” Gallant recently told POLITICO. “I’ve always placed the mission first throughout all of my careers, and I’m doing the same now.”
So what made him decide to run for office.
Gallant is positioning himself as a moderate Democrat focused on getting things done, not just scoring political points. In his first campaign video, he gets straight to the point about what is motivating his run for office.
“What pisses me off is how politicians in Washington are too scared to do the right thing,” Gallant says in the video. “I have voted for both parties. I don’t care that he’s a Republican, I care that he doesn’t have the courage to stand up for Long Island families.”
He is focused on the issues that matter.
Gallant is zeroing in on the cost of living, an issue affecting everyone. He brings a personal perspective that many will find familiar. “I came back from a deployment from ’22 to ’23,” he said. “I went away and was able to fill a grocery cart for $150 and came back and can hardly fill a grocery bag for $150, so it’s terrible.”
He is avoiding distractions from national political dramas, stating his priority is his potential constituents. “NY-01 is my total focus,” Gallant confirmed. The race ahead is a challenging one, but it seems he is ready for the fight.
