Major party candidates in the First Congressional District met for a set of debate at the Vineyard Caterers in Aquebogue Wednesday night.
Over 100 people attended the dinner-debate hosted by the Mattituck Chamber of Commerce before the Nov. 6 election.
The audience consisted of members of local chambers of commerce, the Long Island Farm Bureau, Long Island Wine Council and local elected officials. The event was not open to the public.
Here’s where they stand:
OPENING REMARKS
Perry Gershon is a first time candidate who says he’s running because he feels Americans are concerned about the direction of the government.
“We needed change. That’s part of why Donald Trump got elected,” he said.
He aligns with progressive ideas in terms of healthcare — he supports eventually moving to a single-payer system — and protecting the environment.
Overall, Mr. Gershon said government should be rid of the “poisoned dialogue” happening in Washington D.C. “What we have right now is not good, and we’ve seen the events of today come out of that. We shouldn’t be worrying about politicians having pipe bombs at their homes. That’s just not the American way.”
Congressman Lee Zeldin was first elected in 2014. He is seeking a third-term in the House of Representatives. “I actually think that there’s a lot going in the right direction right now,” he said, citing a strong economy with historically low unemployment and increasing wages.
Mr. Zeldin said that over his two terms in Congress, national security has improved and strides have been made for veterans and the opioid epidemic. He touted local initiatives, such as securing EPA funding for estuary programs, passing legislation to save Plum Island and mandating that the Federal Aviation Administration hold a public hearing on the North Shore Helicopter Route as “big” wins that he hopes to build upon in a third term.
“There are always going to be more challenges ahead, and that’s a good thing,” he said. “We should be excited by that.”
A NATION DIVIDED
Mr. Zeldin said partisanship can divide elected officials, but bipartisanship exists. In Congress, he said, “You’ll see 435 members of the house talking to each other, cosponsoring bills together, writing joint op-eds, having press conferences… it happens every single day I’ve been in Washington,” he said, adding that “There is too much partisanship and we need to continue to work through it.”
Mr. Gershon agreed that there’s too much partisanship in Washington, but blamed President Donald Trump for leading that. “He is out dividing our nation – that’s a problem for us going forward,” he said. “We need to change the tone of the rhetoric.”
He said that voting on major bills — healthcare, tax reform — should not be decided on party lines. “We need to find a way to write major laws together.”
Mr. Gershon also called for new leadership in the Democratic Party and said he does not support Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. “She is too partisan. We need new, younger blood.”
CLIMATE CHANGE
Both candidates acknowledged that climate change is real.
Mr. Gershon referred to climate change as one of the “scariest” threats to Long Island and said pulling out of the Paris Agreement was a “terrible move that set the tone that the United States was becoming a rogue nation.”
Specifically, he said renewable energies should be promoted over burning coal and oil. “We’re going in the wrong direction,” he said.
Mr. Zeldin said it’s time to update outdated energy facilities on Long Island. “We tore down Shea Stadium and built Citi Field… There’s a better way to deliver energy here on Long Island,” he said.
He said initiatives like reauthorizing funding for the Peconic Estuary Program are helping water quality on the East End.
Mr. Zeldin stands by the decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, referring to it as an “ambitious” and “unattainable” goal.
GUNS
“Absolutely not,” Mr. Zeldin said on a ban across-the-board on semi-automatic weapons.
He is also opposed to the NY SAFE Act, a gun regulation law signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2013.
In the wake of Parkland, Mr. Gershon called for action on gun safety that would include mandatory background checks.
He does not support arming teachers and supports a ban on semi-automatic weapons. “It’s a step in the right direction,” he said.
NATIONAL DEBT
Mr. Gershon does not support cuts to balance the deficit, which he blames on a “massive tax cut,” passed by Republicans.
“Our seniors have put in to the system. They’ve earned the benefits they’re going to get. We can’t be cutting that back,” Mr. Gershon said. “We must keep [Medicare] strong and solvent.”
Mr. Zeldin slammed Mr. Gershon’s Medicare-For-All proposal. “That proposal gives Medicare not only to everybody, it also gives it to people who are not in our country legally. That’s how you end up bankrupting Medicare,” he said.
He said the commitment made to seniors and those nearing retirement should be upheld. “You can’t just keep kicking the can down the road.”
IMMIGRATION
Mr. Zeldin supports a new H2C visa program to help employers find staff on the North Fork. He said the process should be expedited and simplified.
“I support ICE, I oppose sanctuary cities,” he said, adding that local law enforcement should cooperate with ICE to combat “MS-13, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and human trafficking.”
He said a long-term permanent solution to both border security and DACA is an opportunity for both Democrats and Republicans to compromise.
Mr. Gershon mostly agreed, adding that a “clean” DACA bill should have “no strings attached,” to people who see the U.S. as home.
He agreed that borders should be enforced and ICE should do their job. “But ICE should be working with communities and not antagonizing communities,” Mr. Gershon said, noting that immigrants who feel comfortable with local law enforcement could prevent MS-13 from increasing its ranks.
IN CLOSING
Mr. Gershon reiterated that politics are too polarized. “All politicians, regardless of party, should be working to lower the acrimony and the toxic discord between the two parties,” he said, condemning political violence.
Mr. Zeldin referenced the protests that ensued as President Trump took office. “The streets of Pennsylvania Avenue were lined up with people calling for his impeachment before he even took office,” he said. “When you come in second place in an election, you accept the results … settle your scores at the ballot box,” he said.
