Avlon’s overwhelming victory reflected a massive shift in the pre-election polling following a concerted pitch by the new Party to support the long-time independent advocate’s campaign.
8/8/2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York – John Avlon’s win over Nancy Goroff in the New York-1 Democratic primary came on the heels of a concerted effort by the Forward Party to elevate the long-time advocate for independent politics. In the two weeks before the primary, Forward Party drove 1.8M impressions over 56,849 residents of the district, averaging over 30 impressions per voter. This is in an election that saw 27,000 votes cast.
Ahead of the advocacy work, Goroff led Avlon 41% to 35%. Avlon ended up winning with 70.4% of the vote.
The Forward Party prioritizes endorsing candidates who adhere to our values, as seen in our candidate pledge. It doesn’t have any policy-based litmus tests, allowing candidates and elected leaders to advocate for solutions that will work for their constituents. John Avlon has written a book on independent voters, and he’s a long-time advocate of voting reforms that reflect the key Forward Party value of elevating the voice of the voter.
Avlon is running against incumbent Representative Nick LaLota, who is recognized by several independent election watchdogs as calling into question the integrity of the 2020 election. He recently defended former President Trump’s remarks at the National Association of Black Journalists, saying that he was being attacked over his “style,” ignoring the content of the statements.
Over a two-week period, Forward Party put out messaging that targeted both likely and unlikely Democratic primary voters. The messaging focused on two key areas: economic issues facing these voters, and the ability to defeat Nick LaLota in November. Rep. LaLota has consistently voted with the extreme wing of the Republican Party, and he has failed to deliver for the voters in his district.
The video content featured our principals, including Andrew Yang, who ran for Mayor of New York City and is well respected in the district. Delivering a message about Avlon’s background, advocacy, and policy positioning in this election, the video content engagement reached unprecedented levels. Over 75% of people who were served the content watched the entirety of the video, which also informed people of their early voting options and how to find their primary voting location.
“It’s clear that the work done by Forward Party played a defining role in John Avlon’s victory in his primary,” said Lindsey Williams Drath, Forward Party CEO. “With former Republicans and Democrats making up the senior leadership of the Forward Party, our support highlights both conservative and progressive bona fides, as well as convincing voters that the candidate will represent them and their voice, and do so with ethics and integrity.
The Forward Party is bringing moderates, conservatives, and progressives together to heal our political divisions, find our shared ground, and create a brighter future for America. Forward Party candidates are accountable to the voters, and they will focus on solutions, not partisan fighting, in order to serve their constituents better. https://www.forwardparty.com