The Winner

If you live in New York's 1st U.S. House District, Nick LaLota (R-NY) is the winner of the 2026 congressional race, according to AllCiv's race page. Ballotpedia shows Republican Nicholas J. LaLota with about 51.1 percent of the vote to Democrat Christopher Gallant's about 48.9 percent, a margin of about 2.2 points, and the outcome has not yet been called. ​

According to Ballotpedia, about 298,585 total votes were cast, with Republican Nicholas J. LaLota at about 51.1%, and the race has not yet been called.

The Race

Gallant, the Democratic opponent, advanced through the June 23 Democratic primary to reach the general election ballot. Cook Political Report rated the seat Solid Republican.

New York's 1st Congressional District has a total population of about 778,100 residents, a median household income of about $134,200, and a median age of about 44, according to geographic data for the district.

About 46.5 percent of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher; the district's population is about 74.1 percent white, 15.2 percent Hispanic, 5.4 percent Asian, and 4.6 percent Black, with an unemployment rate of about 4.6 percent and about 6.2 percent of residents living below the poverty line.

The district covers parts of Suffolk County, including the towns of Huntington, Smithtown, Riverhead, Southold and Southampton, according to Ballotpedia.

What Changes

In preliminary counts, LaLota leads Democrat Christopher Gallant with about 51.1 percent to about 48.9 percent, a margin of about 2.2 points. That is far narrower than the roughly 10.4-point margin he held in 2024, when he took about 55.2 percent against Democrat John Avlon.

Total turnout also fell: about 298,585 votes were cast in 2026, compared with about 410,100 in the 2024 general election for this seat, a drop of roughly 111,500 votes.

What's Next

LaLota is set to take office on Jan. 3, 2027. LaLota said he wants to continue cutting middle-class federal taxes and investing in public safety, infrastructure, and water quality, according to the Shelter Island Reporter / Times Review, which reported his written responses to the Times Review Editorial Board on Oct. 22.

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