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Meet the candidates running for state, federal offices

Election Day is Tuesday and early voting is already under way in Suffolk County. We put together brief profiles of each of the local candidates for Congress and the State Legislature.

Read about each of the races.

Goroff vs. Zeldin for Congress

Congressional candidates Nancy Goroff, left, and Congressman Lee Zeldin.

Two candidates are vying to represent the 1st Congressional District in the House of Representatives. The winner will serve a two-year term.

Nancy Goroff

Hamlet: Stony Brook

Party lines: Democratic, Working Families

About her: Ms. Goroff, 52, is running for public office for the first time. She won a primary against three challengers to become the Democratic nominee. A scientist, Ms. Goroff had been the chair of the chemistry department at Stony Brook University. She said as the department chair, she ran a 300-person department with a multi-million dollar budget. In her research lab, she said she had to come up with innovative research ideas and pitch the ideas to gain support. She would be the first female Ph.D. scientist ever elected to Congress.

She’s lived in the district for 23 years where she raised her two daughters.

Her pitch: Ms. Goroff said her background in science will be vital to helping lead the country out of the pandemic and to address the growing threat of climate change. She said the pandemic requires a national plan and elected officials must also address underlying health equity problems exposed during the pandemic. She said she opposes defunding the police and that addressing systemic inequities should be done by investing in public education, public housing and public health resources in addition to police reforms.

In her words: “I got in this race because I want our kids to live in a world where the government is actually trying to make people’s lives better and policy decisions are based on facts and reality. I was so frustrated and infuriated at politicians’ willingness to ignore the facts and ignore the evidence on issue after issue.”

Lee Zeldin

Hamlet: Shirley

Party lines: Republican, Conservative, Independence

About him: Mr. Zeldin, 40, is seeing his fourth term as congressman for the 1st Congressional District. He was born and raised in the district and currently lives with his wife and two daughters close to where he grew up. He served four years in active duty in the U.S. Army and has spent the past 13 years in the Army Reserve, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. In Congress, he serves on the House Committee on Financial Services and House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He is also co-chairman of the House Republican Israel Caucus, co-chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus and founding member of the National Estuary Caucus in addition to being a member of 40 other caucuses.

His pitch: Mr. Zeldin said growing the economy, ending the pandemic, strengthening national security, improving health care and supporting law enforcement are all key issues. A vocal supporter of President Trump, Mr. Zeldin said his recent accomplishments include securing personal protective equipment and medical supplies like ventilators for Suffolk County during the height of the pandemic in April. He said a “huge win” was the announcement earlier this year that the U.S. Department of Energy will fund construction of a $2 billion electron-ion collider at Brookhaven National Lab in Upton. He said the country is at a “crossroads” and said one-party Democratic rule in New York City and Albany has not been effective.

In his words: “I’m ranked the 12th most bipartisan congressman in America and I’ll work with anyone to find common ground however possible.”

Congressional candidates speak on environmental issues ahead of election


Palumbo vs. Ahearn for State Senate

Two candidates are running for the 1st District State Senate post being vacated by longtime incumbent Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), who is retiring after 44 years. The district covers the entire East End as well as parts of eastern Brookhaven Town.

Anthony Palumbo

Party lines: Republican, Conservative

About him: Mr. Palumbo, 50, is an attorney and former prosecutor who has been an assemblyman since 2013. He said he had never been involved in politics before that. 

His pitch: Mr. Palumbo feels the COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis that should be dealt with, and that the way to dealt with it this is to “smartly” reopen small business so they can operate safely without burdensome state regulations. He supports adding a half-percent real estate transfer tax that would go toward affordable housing. Mr. Palumbo is opposed to the New York State Health Act, and says it won’t work if the state tries to enact it on its own and would put rural hospitals out of business.

Mr. Palumbo opposes the repeal of a law known as 50-a, which shields of officers’ disciplinary records from being made public. 

He also feels the state’s recent criminal justice reform measures were done without input from all stakeholders, such as from law enforcement and judges.

His words: “So our problem has always been a spending problem in New York. When the governor first took office, the budget was around $90 billion – with a ‘B.’ Now it’s $178 billion last year.”

Laura Ahearn

Hamlet: Port Jefferson

Party lines: Democratic, Protect the Taxpayer

About her: Ms. Ahearn, 56, is an attorney, a social worker, a “military mom,” the wife of a retired Suffolk police officer and is the executive director of the nonprofit Crime Victims Center, which operates under contract with governments.

“For nearly 25 years, I have fought to keep us safe and have provided services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, gang violence, human trafficking, hate crime, elderly veterans and disabled victims of crimes.”

Her pitch: Ms. Ahearn said the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on people’s lives and the economy. She said federal relief is needed and she would join the Long Island delegation to strengthen their voice and fight for the area’s fair share in Albany.

Ms. Ahearn said tax revenues are down in all levels of government.

She doesn’t think the records of police officers should be made public if allegations against the officer are unsubstantiated, but she does support the release of substantiated claims, in reference to the 50-a repeal. 

As far as the state’s criminal justice reforms, she feels that “some of that legislation was absolutely needed.” 

Ms. Ahearn also supports a half-percent real estate transfer tax that would go toward affordable housing. On health insurance, she feels “health care is an absolute human right, but that it should be done on the federal level so it’s the same in all 50 states.” The New York Health Act, she said, “is never going to pass.”

In her words: “I am a fighter and I am an independent.”

Senate candidates Ahearn, Palumbo share environmental positions at forum

Thiele vs. Collins for Assembly

Two candidates are vying to represent the 1st Assembly District in the New York State Assembly. The winner will serve a two-year term.

Fred Thiele, Jr.

Town: Sag Harbor

Party Lines: Independence, Democratic

About him: Mr.Thiele, 67, has a long career in elected office, serving as a Southampton supervisor, a member of the Suffolk County Legislature and, since 1995, the state assemblyman for the 1st district. Perhaps his most significant accomplishment is leading the fight and writing the legislation to establish the Community Preservation Fund, the real estate transfer tax that funds open space preservation and clean water initiatives.

His pitch: Mr. Thiele said  he’s running for reelection to help constituents weather the storm of the pandemic. “My office has been contacted by literally thousands of people who needed our help,” he said. “Unemployment insurance claims, small business loans, testing, food insecurity, economic disruption, local government response, hospital readiness, school re-openings have all been the focus in my office.”

Heather Collins

Town: East Quogue

Party Lines: Republican, Conservative

About her: Ms. Collins has been employed by the Suffolk County Board of Elections, and ran unsuccessfully against Mr. Thiele the last two election cycles. She also ran unsuccessfully against Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming in 2017. She is not actively campaigning.

Her pitch: In a published report Suffolk County and Brookhaven Town Republican Chairman Jesse Garcia said Ms. Collins “is a single mom who brings a plain-spoken, real life experience in an area of the state that is burdened by high taxes who will fight for education aid.”