Letters

After almost two years of radio silence, with few written communications to constituents and even fewer live town hall meetings, Nick LaLota has been feverishly sending out newsletters to demonstrate his newfound concern for voters. He also has been attempting to remake his image as a reasonable, common-sense legislator who is a moderate on the issue of abortion.

Don’t be fooled. Nick LaLota’s ratings and positions tell a different story.

The nonpartisan organization Vote Smart publishes candidate rankings based on their transparency. Nick LaLota failed their “Political Courage Test.” On the issue of access to abortion, one of the few issues where LaLota was deemed to be transparent, LaLota expressed unequivocal support for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Additionally, Nick LaLota has been rated 100 percent by the National Right to Life Committee, 89 percent by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, and 100 percent by the Concerned Women for American Legislative Action Committee, a socially conservative, evangelical Christian organization.

Not surprisingly, he received a rating of zero percent by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 organizations fighting to protect, defend and expand the rights of every person in the United States.

In fact, by wholeheartedly endorsing Donald Trump, LaLota has also endorsed Project 2025, the GOP’s far-right, white nationalist, Christian fundamentalist platform, which would restrict abortion care nationwide, raise costs for everyday families, gut social services and entitlement programs, make assault weapons readily available, destroy the public school system, and give Donald Trump the unchecked power of a dictator.

Nick LaLota is no moderate.

LaLota also has demonstrated his unwillingness to find solutions to real problems. He voted against the Senate’s bipartisan border security bill that would have been the most comprehensive immigration reform our nation has seen. Both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate had overwhelmingly endorsed this bill. House Republicans then voted it down at the last minute. Why? Because Donald Trump ordered his MAGA minions to stand down so he could continue to use border security as a campaign issue. He did not want to give Joe Biden a “win,” even though it would have been a win for the American people.

We deserve better. We deserve a member of Congress who is transparent and consistent on all his positions; cares more about solving problems than scoring points with Donald Trump; will protect a woman’s right to reproductive freedom, including abortion and IVF; will keep religion out of legislating; will support common-sense gun control to keep our children safe in school; and will unequivocally protect our wildlife, water and air.

We deserve John Avlon.

If you agree, the choice is clear. Vote for John Avlon for Congress.

Andrea Klausner

Vice-Chair

Southampton Democratic Committee