Gregory Hach, rival to Trump-backed House hopeful, says he qualifies for ballot

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s preferred candidate to challenge Long Island Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi this fall will probably first have to defeat an insurgent Republican foe in a June 23 primary.

On Monday, Gregory Hach, a lawyer and Air Force veteran from Oyster Bay who has unsuccessfully run for the seat previously, announced that he has filed 4,197 signatures, more than three times the requirement to qualify for the ballot. "A primary election is exactly what democracy looks like at its finest," Hach said in a statement.

Former GOP state Assemb. Michael LiPetri Jr. had in February received Trump’s endorsement immediately after announcing he was seeking his party’s nomination for a rematch against Suozzi (D-Glen Cove). The Farmingdale attorney ran in 2024 and lost to Suozzi 51.7% to 48.1%.

Hach had made a bid for the seat in 2024, but was among four Republicans who were disqualified from the ballot by the state Board of Elections, clearing the way for LiPetri to avoid a GOP primary.

LiPetri responded to Hach’s signature filings in a statement saying, "I am proud to be the choice of the Nassau County Republican Committee in the race for NY-03, endorsed by President Donald Trump and House GOP leadership."

A Suozzi campaign spokesman declined to comment.

Nonpartisan experts see the fight for Suozzi's seat as potentially pivotal in the nationwide battle for party control of the House. But Hach’s filings on Monday suggest a potentially divisive GOP primary could occur first.

Monday at midnight is the deadline for congressional candidates in New York to file signatures with state or county boards of elections to qualify for the ballot. 

Hach has committed to spending $1 million of his own money in the race. He describes his issues platform as "rooted in border security, economic renewal and the restoration of American strength abroad."

Hach says the 3rd District voters will be the ones who decide who will carry the fight to Suozzi.

A Hach campaign spokesman when specifically asked about the Trump endorsement of LiPetri, reiterated that Hach is the "America-first candidate" and that "Trump voters know that, and we’re confident we’ll have their endorsement in the primary."

But Nassau County Republican Committee chairman Joseph G. Cairo Jr. underscored in a statement Monday that the committee has selected LiPetri as its candidate, because "He has the experience and credentials, which make him the best candidate to serve the residents of the district." 

But Cairo added, "We welcome all duly qualified candidates to compete in the electoral process and we are confident Mike LiPetri will be our congressman in January of 2027."