Assemb. Al Graf gets bar association nod for District Court

Assemb. Al Graf (R-Holbrook), who several months ago eyed a run for Suffolk County sheriff, has gotten the Suffolk County Bar Association’s imprimatur to run for a $156,200-a-year District Court judgeship.

Graf got the qualified rating earlier this month, so he can vie for an Islip District Court judgeship that will be vacant at year’s end. When he was interested in District Court two years ago, Graf failed to get the association’s qualified rating, according to political sources, but withdrew his name from contention before the rating was made public.

The District Court seat opened last week when incumbent David Morris of the Independence Party, who is up for re-election, got the backing of the Democratic and Conservative parties to run for County Court judge. In return, the Independence Party and Conservatives have agreed to support the re-election of Democratic Family Court Judge Theresa Whelan.

William Garbarino, Islip GOP chairman, said Graf is among a half dozen contenders who have screened for the District Court post, but no decision has been made. The town party convention is Wednesday.