Steve Stern eyes Chad Lupinacci’s Assembly seat
![Suffolk County Legis. Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills), seen here on...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANDNiMDM5NGYtZDRmNS00%3ANGYtZDRmNS00NjAzZDMx%2Fposter112017_web.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Suffolk County Legis. Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills), seen here on June 28, 2016, is said to be interested in running for a seat in the State Assembly. Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
Term-limited Suffolk Democratic Legis. Steve Stern is eying a run for Republican Assemb. Chad Lupinacci’s Assembly seat now that the state lawmaker will become Huntington Town supervisor Jan. 1.
Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said Stern, a Dix Hills lawyer, has expressed interest in running. Schaffer said someone of “his caliber, name recognition and accomplishment would make an outstanding candidate.”
Stern has served for 12 years as county lawmaker. He ran for Congress last year, coming in second to former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi in a party primary.
Schaffer said Shanequa Levin, of Huntington Station, campaign director for the nonprofit Every Child Matters, also has talked with him about running for Lupinacci’s seat, and he was trying to arrange a meeting with her over the weekend.
Toni Tepe, Huntington GOP chairwoman, said the party has “not zeroed in” on any one candidate, but three potential contenders have expressed interest. Tepe declined to name them until party officials screen them.
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