The fight is on to fill the vacant 1st Congressional District seat in Long Island, which includes eastern Suffolk County.

The district is being vacated by Rep. Lee Zeldin, who is running for governor against Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Nick LaLota has his eyes set on the district after he won a contentious Republican Party primary. He is a Suffolk County legislator from Southampton and former commissioner and trustee.

He blames government overspending and high oil prices for the troubled economy.

“I think that the first thing the Congress needs to do is put a bill on President Biden's desk that makes America truly energy independent. We don't need to beg OPEC; we don't need to beg any foreign countries for the energy that we have here underneath our feet here as Americans. We could do it safely here,” LaLota says.

LaLota's Democratic opponent is Bridget Fleming, a county legislator and former prosecutor. She says the pandemic was the major cause of the economic turmoil being felt on the Island and worldwide.

“We also have to look for ways to shore up the supply chain. We have to make sure folks aren't taking advantage of the circumstances with very high corporate profits while they're holding production. We've seen that with prescription drugs, we've seen that with oil prices,” Fleming says.

On other issues, LaLota lists border security and public safety as top priorities, as well as ending Democratic control in Washington.

“I'm very focused on who's in the White House right now and ensuring that we provide a check and balance. I think a Republican House needs to conduct some oversight of this president,” LaLota says.

Fleming says she's focused on protecting a woman's right to choose and on ending the political divisiveness in the country.

“My brand really is a brand that brings folks together, whether it's on public transportation or transitioning to renewable energy. I've always understood that the best way to get things done is to have an open mind and listen to competing perspectives,” she says.