Sarah Hughes, a former Olympic figure skating champion, is running for Congress in New York.
Hughes, 38, filed in her home district on Long Island as a Democrat, and plans to run against Republican freshman Representative Anthony D’Esposito, who flipped the seat in the last election. The area is considered a swing district, and is one of the Republican-held seats Democrats will need to win in 2024 to regain control of the House of Representatives.
“I’ve always been hopeful about our future; about our ability to come together and achieve great things in the face of difficulty and adversity. Long Island can be a great place to live and raise a family,” Hughes said in a statement on her website.
Hughes' platform is based on gun violence, inflation, and abortion rights — all issues facing New Yorkers heading into the next general election.
“We can tackle the rising cost of living. We can restore the SALT deduction so families don't have to forego their kids' education to meet their financial obligations. We can get assault weapons off our streets and keep our communities safe," Hughes continued. "All it takes is us coming together and doing things differently and I’m here to be part of the solution.”
Hughes won the gold medal in figure skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. She attended Yale University for her undergraduate degree, then received a degree in law from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a graduate student at the Stanford School of Business.
Hughes' spokesperson, Max Kramer, told The Hill that Hughes is currently putting the “pieces into place to make an announcement in the next few weeks.”
“Born and raised on Long Island, Sarah is concerned about where we’re headed, whether it’s rising prices, public safety and gun violence, or threats to women’s health,” he said.
