Ford backs Toback in Democratic primary in 20th Assembly District
Jeff Toback, who's running in the 20th Assembly District Democratic primary. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Former Nassau County Legis. Jeff Toback has picked up the endorsement of a onetime colleague in his Democratic primary bid for an open state Assembly seat.
County Legis. Denise Ford, a registered Democrat from Long Beach who caucuses with the legislature’s Republican majority, said she is backing Toback over Long Beach City Councilman Anthony Eramo in the 20th Assembly District’s Sept. 13 primary.
“I know Jeff to be forward thinking and he’s proven that he can tackle tough issues and build consensus for the benefit of residents of his district,” Ford said of Toback, a Long Beach attorney who served on the legislature from 2000 to 2009, when Democrats held the majority.
The 20th District covers Southwestern Nassau, including Long Beach, Oceanside, Island Park, East Rockaway and the Five Towns. Toback ran an unsuccessful primary for the Assembly seat in 2010, when it was held by Democrat Harvey Weisenberg.
Following Weisenberg’s retirement in 2014, Long Beach Democrat Todd Kaminsky won election to succeed him, but vacated the seat after winning a State Senate special election in April. Kaminsky is endorsing Eramo.
Matthew Rey, an Eramo spokesman, reacted to Ford’s endorsement of Toback by saying Eramo would put his endorsements from Kaminsky and Weisenberg “up against the Republicans who clearly favor Toback and his record of selling out the South Shore.”
Paul LaRocco is a reporter on the investigations desk. Since starting at Newsday in late 2010, he has also covered Nassau and Suffolk county politics and government and the Town of Oyster Bay.
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