Christopher Gallant

Christopher Gallant

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Gallant, 37, of Amity Harbor is an Army veteran and National Guardsman who has served as a Black Hawk pilot. He has been a volunteer firefighter with several local fire districts, including those in Copiague and Fire Island Pines.
• He was born in Smithtown but moved with his family during middle school to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, before returning to Long Island to attend college, first at Farmingdale State College before he enrolled at Dowling College in Oakdale, from which he graduated with an aviation management degree in 2014.
• Gallant worked as a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controller at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale and at Kennedy Airport, where he also served as a union representative for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, before leaving his post to run for Congress.

ISSUES:

• Gallant describes affordability as one of his top issues and says he would push for policies expanding public affordable childcare programs, expanding income-based repayment plans for student loans, and supporting federal incentives to build more housing near LIRR stations.
• On healthcare, Gallant said he would to stop any cuts to or privatization efforts against Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security. He supports expanding Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision.
• Gallant said improving the district’s infrastructure is another priority and he would focus on securing funding for storm resilience projects.