The 2002 gold medallist Sarah Hughes (R) and her father John (L) cheer as they watch Emily Hughes during the women’s short program during the Figure Skating competition at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, February 21, 2006. Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar

Jewish Olympic gold medalist and figure skater Sarah Hughes officially filed to run for Congress on Monday as a Democrat to represent New York’s 4th Congressional District in the House of Representatives, CNN reported.

The New York native, 38, whose mother is Jewish, was born in the Long Island region of Great Neck, which is in the 3rd Congressional District represented by George Santos. She graduated from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She currently practices law in New York City and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, according to her website. 

Hughes won an Olympic gold medal for figure skating in the 2002 Winter Olympics Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was 16 years old at the time and no other American has won the gold in ladies singles figure skating since then. Her sister, Emily Hughes, competed in figure skating in the 2006 Olympic Games and finished 8th.

Sarah is vying for a House seat currently held by Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito but will also have to compete for the Democratic Party nomination in a primary. Former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen will be running again this year after losing to D’Esposito in 2022.

“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,” Sarah’s campaign spokesman Max Kramer said in a statement to Newsday about her intention to run for Congress. “She’s putting the pieces into place to make an announcement in the next few weeks.”

Jay Jacobs, the Nassau County Democratic leader and state party chairman, said Sarah “would be a very strong candidate,” according to the New York Post. Her former boyfriend Andrew Giuliani, a Republican who ran in the primary for governor last year and is the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, told the Post on Tuesday, “Sarah is a great person. Despite the political difference we have, her heart is in the right place and she cares about New York.”