Olympian Sarah Hughes files to run for NY House seat
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Sarah Hughes. Photo: Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Friends of Hudson River Park.
Olympic figure skater Sarah Hughes has filed to run for Congress in New York's 4th District, her spokesperson confirmed to Axios on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The gold medalist's name recognition could make her a major contender for the Long Island-based seat, which is one of the most Democratic-leaning districts held by a Republican.
The details: Hughes, a Great Neck, New York, native running as a Democrat, is a graduate student at Stanford Business School.
- She rocketed to stardom at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002 with an upset win over American teammate Michelle Kwan and Russian Irina Slutskaya.
- She worked for several years as a law firm associate after graduating from Yale Law School in 2009.
What they're saying: Spokesperson Max Kramer told Axios that Hughes' campaign is focused on "rising prices, public safety and gun violence, or threats to women's health."
- "She’s putting the pieces into place to make an announcement in the next few weeks," he added.
The state of play: The seat, which covers the southern and central portions of wealthy suburban Nassau County, voted for President Biden by 14 percentage points in 2020.
- After Democratic incumbent Kathleen Rice retired last year, Republican former NYPD detective Anthony D'Esposito defeated former local legislator Laura Gillen by four percentage points.
- Gillen is running again for the seat, as are attorney and 2014 House candidate Patricia Maher and Lawrence Patrick Henry, both Democrats, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
The big picture: Democrats are looking to Republican incumbents like D'Esposito, who benefited from GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin's surprising strength against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, as top targets in their efforts to take back the House.
- They hope that the Democratic presidential ticket will help carry down-ballot Democrats to victory in districts that naturally lean more Democratic.
