Rep. Nick LaLota and former TV host John Avlon are battling it out to represent residents of New York’s 1st Congressional District.

Both candidates, however, are now answering questions about their status as residents of the Suffolk district.

Throughout his campaign, Avlon has touted the fact that he lives in the district, unlike his opponent, and claimed he has called Sag Harbor home for many years.

“We’ve lived there. Since 2009, we started living in the house that is our home,” Avlon said during an interview with News 12 on Power & Politics back in March.

However, property tax records reveal that Avlon has been getting a tax reduction on his Manhattan apartment each year through 2023, a benefit that can only be applied to a primary residence.

Avlon has also voted in the Suffolk district by way of absentee ballot in the last three general elections.

“Multiple independent reports have revealed that CNN’s John Avlon is lying to either New York City Tax officials or Suffolk County voters about his true residency,” Rep. LaLota said.

In an exclusive interview with News 12, Avlon clarified that he hasn’t always been a full-time resident of Long Island’s battleground district.

“We first started coming out and being part of the community and renting the house, we ultimately bought, after we were married in 2009,” Avlon said. “So we’ve been part of the community since then. We rented it in the winters because that’s what we could afford. That’s where we wrote both of our books at the time when we first got married. I’ve written all my books, except the first one, out there.”

Avlon bought his Sag Harbor house in 2017 and he completed the 2020 Census survey from that residence.

He said he split his time between Sag Harbor and New York City until he left CNN in February to run for office. He said he has been spending the majority of his time in the district since then.

Team 12 Investigates reviewed property tax records that show Avlon has not received a tax reduction on his Gramercy Park apartment since February 2024, when Avlon said he became a full-time Sag Harbor resident.

Meanwhile, Avlon has criticized Rep. LaLota for living outside district lines in Amityville.

Earlier this month, the congressman told News 12 why he hasn’t moved into the district since getting elected.

“Those plans are currently on hold,” Rep. LaLota said. “High interest rates and how many times the New York state Democrats have shuffled the district lines around have put those plans on hold.”

Like Avlon, Rep. LaLota does have long-standing ties to the district. He grew up in the community and graduated from St. Anthony’s High School where he met his high school sweetheart—now his wife Kaylie.

According to the New York State Board of Elections, members of Congress are not required to live in the district they represent. Their only requirement is to be a resident of the state and a U.S. citizen for seven years.