Phil Pidot of Glen Cove joins scrum for House’s 3rd District

Former Glen Cove City Council candidate Philip Pidot has joined a crowded field of Republicans running for retiring Rep. Steve Israel’s seat.

“I’m a regular citizen running for Congress to demand fiscal accountability, pro-growth economic policies, and to unleash hell on fraud, waste and abuse,” said Pidot, 40, who filed candidacy papers on Thursday. “I want to go to Washington, restore sanity and prosperity, and come home.”

Pidot, who runs a financial products startup firm, is an occasional commentator on Fox Business News and a frequent critic of the fiscal management of his home city.

He narrowly lost a City Council bid in November while running on the Glen Cove United line. In 2006, while living in Manhattan, he lost a State Senate bid.

Other Republicans who have formed committees to run for the seat include Suffolk Legis. Robert Trotta of Fort Salonga, State Sen. Jack Martins of Old Westbury, Assemb. Chad Lupinacci of Huntington and retired U.S. Marine Lt. Col. David Gurfein.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.