Southampton Democrats move against Eileen Duffy in town board race

Southampton Democrats are trying to knock out town board primary petitions of Eileen Duffy, a leading activist opposing GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin.

Duffy, 53, of Quogue, filed 540 petition signatures (at least 375 are needed) to run a primary, creating a potential three-way race.

Duffy, who has the backing of the Working Families Party, is taking aim at Craig Catalanotto of Speonk. Catalanotto, a first-time contender, along with incumbent Democratic Town Board member John Bouvier was nominated by the town Democratic Committee to run for town board.

Gordon Herr, Southampton Democratic chairman, said Duffy screened for both town board and trustees. Herr said the party nominated Duffy as a candidate for trustee, who oversees town waterways, and she accepted. Herr said Duffy later changed her mind and decided to run for town board.

“If she wanted to run a primary for town board, that would have been fine, but I'm concerned that she’s creating some divisions in the party,” Huff said.

 Duffy is the founder of a web group with 3,500 members that opposes Zeldin, of Shirley. Duffy ran unsuccessfully for village trustee in Quogue last year.