Sad Details About Former CNN Anchor John Avlon's Life

Election Day 2024 had all eyes on the journalists guiding us through the tense night of breaking news. This was, of course, a hugely important night for political commentators across the spectrum but for one in particular, it was personal. Former CNN anchor John Avlon ran for office, looking to represent New York's 1st Congressional District, with the Democrat ultimately losing to Republican representative Nick LaLota, and it is safe to assume that it was far from easy. While this defeat is surely something the former news anchor will never forget, it is not the first setback he has faced in his life.

Anyone who is running for any kind of political role is surely devastated when they lose to their opponent — especially during such a divisive time in our country. Yet, this loss may be especially painful because of why Avlon went into politics in the first place. In a March 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Avlon explained why he left CNN.

"I didn't want to look at my kids and tell them I could've done more when it mattered most," he admitted. Avlon went on to add, "I'm a patriotic guy and I'm deeply concerned about the stakes of this race for our country and my community. We've never had a presidential nominee of a major party run on an authoritarian platform praising dictators. I didn't feel that simply offering opinions on cable news was enough." 

John Avlon clearly had admirable reasons for going into politics, but he faced major consequences for entering the race long before the former CNN stalwart accepted defeat. In August 2024, it was discovered that Avlon wasn't being very forthcoming about where he lived — and his reasoning may have been a bit fishy. Avlon had long asserted that he lived in Sag Harbor, New York. In an interview with News 12, Avlon said of the Long Island town, "This community is my home, and I've been entirely consistent about that," (via YouTube). Had he not been running for a congressional seat, this may not have come out.

And yet, it was later uncovered that he had previously claimed his primary residence was actually in Manhattan — likely in order to avoid property tax payments. The former news anchor's tax abatements reportedly accounted for over $2,000 per year, according to the New York Post, and this was called out by his opponent. Avlon's dirty laundry was aired out in front of the world, ending the political aspirations for which he originally left his high-profile job (Avlon became a senior political analyst at CNN in 2018 and left in February 2024). In the wake of his very public loss, it's unclear where his career is headed now.