State Senate, 6th District

Dennis Dunne

Republican

Background: Dunne, 70, of Levittown, has served as councilman in Hempstead Town’s Sixth District since 2017. Dunne joined the town board after a 22-year career representing the Nassau County Legislature's 15th District. Dunne served in the U.S. Marines in the Vietnam War and medically retired in 1975 as a private first class. He holds an associate of arts degree from Nassau Community College and a Bachelor's degree from Hofstra University and has worked as a veterans counselor and director of the Nassau County Veterans Agency.

Issues: Dunne supports repealing state legislation enacted in recent years including elimination of cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felony charges; new discovery laws requiring prosecutors to hand over evidence to defense attorneys sooner; and a congestion pricing plan that Republicans argue would burden suburban drivers headed to Manhattan. Dunne has touted legislation he helped to pass in Hempstead Town, including increasing the age for purchasing vaping products and restricting advertising of such products near schools and playgrounds.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.