Voters will cast their ballot on several key races both at the federal and state levels. The local races include the 1st Congressional District for a seat in the House of Representatives. And on the state level, there are races for the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.
Here are bios on the candidates in each of those races.
U.S. Congress
Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac) has been a prominent figure in East End politics since 2010, when she was elected to the Southampton Town Board.
Previously, she worked for nearly a decade as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, where she oversaw a unit targeting fraud in public programs and prosecuted sex crimes. She also worked as managing attorney for pro bono programs at the New York City Bar Association.
Ms. Fleming was the first to enter the race to represent NY-01 in spring 2021, and earned the Democratic nomination after other candidates dropped from the race. She has said she would support codifying the right to abortion and push for climate solutions. She would also support a ban on assault weapons, a campaign financing system based on small donors and legislation expanding voter protections, and would advocate to restore a federal deduction for property taxes, as well as policies to prevent price gouging and supply chain disruptions.
Ms. Fleming graduated from Hunter College and earned her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. She lives in Noyac with her husband and son and has served in the county Legislature since 2015.
Nick LaLota, chief of staff to the Republican presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, has highlighted a history of public service in his campaign to take over Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (R-Shirley) seat in Congress.
Mr. LaLota served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He was appointed to the Amityville Board of Trustees in 2013, then elected and reelected in 2014 and 2015. He acted as the village budget officer and chairman of the committees to the police and fire departments. He is also a former commissioner of the Suffolk County Board of Elections and has served as chief of staff to state Sen. Phil Boyle (R-Bay Shore).
Mr. LaLota beat out two other candidates in the Republican primaries to secure his nomination. He has said he would advocate for more regulations on voting, work to reduce inflation and the cost of medications under Medicare, support a bill to increase penalties for attacking police and push for more federal funding for infrastructure.
Mr. LaLota graduated from Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business with an MBA and earned a JD from Hofstra’s law school. He lives in Amityville with his wife and three daughters.
New York State Senate
Republican state Sen. Anthony Palumbo of New Suffolk represents the East End of Long Island as well as parts of Brookhaven Town in the state Senate’s 1st District.
Mr. Palumbo worked as a Suffolk County prosecutor for several years and has a private law practice in Mattituck. In April 2013 he was elected to the state Assembly, where he served until he was elected to the seat vacated by longtime Republican state Sen. Ken LaValle two years ago.
Mr. Palumbo said his top priorities are getting the economy back on track post-pandemic and repealing the controversial bail and discovery reforms that he believes are harming our residents and local law enforcement.
He says enforcement is the key to stopping crime, and noted that New York has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation. “Most of the gun crimes are committed with illegal guns,” he said.
Mr. Palumbo says he supports New York’s current position on reproductive rights and maintaining abortion as legal statewide and supports abortion in cases of rape, incest and when the life of a mother is at risk.
He said he seeks to usher in a government “that prioritizes public safety, lowers taxes and creates a stronger economy for all.”
Skyler Johnson, 22, of Mount Sinai is the Democratic candidate opposing incumbent Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) in the race for the State Senate’s 1st District.
Mr. Johnson works in a nonprofit called New Hour for Women and Children LI, which provides resources and support for formerly incarcerated women and their families.
He also serves on the board of Temple Beth Emeth in Mount Sinai, and previously worked with Southampton Village Mayor Jesse Warren.
Mr. Johnson said it’s important for New York State to elect officials who support legalized abortion.
“Reproductive rights are under attack across the United States. The only reason why reproductive rights remain legal within the State of New York is because we keep electing people who will keep it legal.”
Mr. Johnson also feels reforms are needed regarding industrial development agencies and how they give tax breaks.
“I want to make sure that we’re not focusing on giving tax breaks to these giant corporations that are coming here anyway,” Mr. Johnson said. He does not believe that billionaires will leave the state because tax breaks are taken away.
Mr. Johnson also has the backing of the Working Families Party.
New York State Assembly
Fred Thiele (D-Sag Harbor) has served in the New York Assembly since 1995. If reelected in 2022, he would start his 14th term as a state representative.
In his time as an assemblyman, the 69-year-old authored the Peconic Bay Community Preservation Fund Act, which has resulted in the preservation of more than 10,000 acres across the East End. He has also secured state funds to improve water quality and played a pivotal role in the passage of a bill to establish a Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Fund that, if passed by referendum in each eligible town, could provide up to $20 million annually for local housing solutions. He has also supported reducing income and school taxes, and supports expanding the South Fork Commuter Connection for increased rail and bus infrastructure.
Mr. Thiele graduated from Southampton College of Long Island University and earned his JD from Albany Law School. He became counsel to a Montauk assemblyman after graduating from law school in 1979, before moving on to become Southampton Town attorney, Suffolk County legislator and then Southampton Town supervisor. Mr. Thiele is a lifelong resident of Sag Harbor, where he lives with his wife and raised three children.
Southold Town resident Peter Ganley is challenging Mr. Thiele for his seat in the state Assembly, after a two-year tenure working for Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) to assist “with both press and constituent services,” according to Mr. Ganley’s website. He currently serves as treasurer for the Southold Town Republican Committee and has acted as campaign manager for congressional candidate Nick LaLota.
The 26-year-old Republican lives in Cutchogue and graduated from the University of Scranton. He’s been endorsed by the county Police Benevolent Association and other police unions.
Newsday has reported that Mr. Ganley supports a referendum to establish a half-percent tax on real estate transfers for housing solutions, a bill that his opponent played a critical role in passing. He said he would work to repeal bail reform and push for restrictions on the state doing business with those who are also campaign donors.
On his campaign website, Mr. Ganley indicated support for a four-term limit on elected officials in New York and policies that would protect the environment, promote public safety and cut taxes. He has been endorsed by Mr. Zeldin, who is leaving his seat in Congress to run for New York governor.
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