State Sen. Kevin Thomas.

State Sen. Kevin Thomas. Credit: James Escher

Daily Point

Is the CD4 pool getting more crowded?

Another Democrat may be preparing to add his name to those who hope to challenge Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in the 4th Congressional District come 2024.

Multiple sources tell The Point that State Sen. Kevin Thomas is exploring a run for Congress.

Thomas lives in Levittown, in the 3rd Congressional District, home to fabulist Rep. George Santos. But sources say Thomas is eyeing CD4 for his possible run. Congressional candidates do not have to live in the district that they want to represent, although they do have to live in the state.

The news comes in the wake of a redistricting that left Thomas’ home out of the State Senate district he now represents. If he wanted to run again for that seat, he would have to move.

And while CD4 doesn’t include Thomas’ residence, it does encompass pieces of both his current State Senate district, and the district he represented before the redrawing of the lines, making him a recognizable name in some quarters. In a major upset in the 2018 election, Thomas, a political newcomer, defeated Republican Kemp Hannon, who had served in the Senate for 28 years.

Thomas, who has been in contact with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about a run, could be facing a Democratic primary with former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen, who lost to D’Esposito last year, and former Olympic figure skating champion Sarah Hughes.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com and  Rita Ciolli rita.ciolli@newsday.com

Pencil Point

That was then

Credit: PoliticalCartoons.com/Dave Whamond, Canada

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Quick Points

Tricky roads

  • Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says the portion of I-95 in Philadelphia that recently collapsed will be opened this weekend — after saying a week ago that repairs would take months. Why is it that in New York the timeline for repairs and construction always moves in the opposite direction?
  • Rebel forces killed 38 students in an attack on a school in Uganda last weekend. Left unexplained: How does killing children advance your cause or address your grievances?
  • Passage rates on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams increased on Long Island last year. That’s terrific news, as long as no one thinks it addresses the issue of kids who were struggling post-pandemic and still are struggling.
  • Republican presidential contender Chris Christie over the weekend called former President Donald Trump a “three-time loser,” a “loser, loser, loser,” and “a petulant child when someone disagrees with him” in vowing to get on the GOP debate stage to take Trump down. Since one of the debate qualifications is individual contributions, you think any Democrats will pony up for Christie?
  • Former Vice President Mike Pence said he splits with former President Donald Trump on two issues — anti-abortion policies and the national debt. So they’re simpatico on the Jan. 6 riot?
  • A bill in Congress to raise the mandatory retirement age for airplane pilots from 65 to 67 sounds like a good idea to address a pilot shortage until you realize the bill is being opposed by the pilots themselves, who cite such medical issues as increases in cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease from aging. It’s not hard to pick a side in this one.

— Michael Dobie michael.dobie@newsday.com

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