Vice President Vance to appear in Nassau County next week

WASHINGTON — Preparations are underway for Vice President JD Vance to be featured at at least one event in Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi’s congressional district next week, the White House announced Thursday.

Vance is to deliver remarks Wednesday in Bethpage at what is described as "an official messaging" event starting at 10 a.m. at Gold Coast Studios, four sources familiar with the plans said. It will not be a political fundraiser.

Those sources would not say, however, whether there could be other, more direct political activity included during Vance's visit to Nassau County.

The vice president’s spokespeople in Washington on Thursday did not immediately return requests for comment. An aide to Nassau County GOP chairman Joe Cairo also did not reply to messages. 

But an announcement posted on the White House website allows those interested to register for up to one ticket, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The visit comes as New York and Nassau County prepare for key fall races.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is running to unseat New York’s Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, and the county also includes all or parts of three congressional districts.

Two of those are held by Democrats and are seen by non-partisan political handicappers as potentially competitive in this fall’s elections for party control of the U.S. House, narrowly held now by Republicans.

Bethpage is in Suozzi's district, and nearby areas are represented by Democrat Laura Gillen of Rockville Centre. The local GOP-backed candidate seeking Suozzi’s seat is former Assem. Member Michael LiPetri; the endorsed candidate seeking Gillen’s seat is Jeanine Driscoll, the Hempstead receiver of taxes.

Suozzi, LiPetri and Driscoll all face June 23 primaries.