Representative in Congress, 2nd Congressional District — Democratic primary

PATRICIA MAHER

Democrat

BACKGROUND: Maher, 60, has run for multiple local, state and federal offices on Long Island, including for this same congressional seat in 2014. A community activist, she is the former director of development and community education for the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island and led the Merrick Avenue Civic Association. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree from Hofstra University. She earned a law degree from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in Central Islip.

ISSUES: The Westbury Democrat says she will focus on health care, the opioid epidemic, “transnational crime,” and “the decline of small businesses on our main streets and downtowns.” She favors giving tax breaks for businesses to locate on Long Island. On her website, Maher calls herself a “political activist and outsider.” She says: “The political party players can’t solve these problems because they are part of the problem. We need an outsider to represent us in the district.”