Dem wants environmentalist for Suffolk seat

Suffolk Democrats will recommend Mount Sinai environmentalist Sarah Anker to run in a March 29 special election for the vacant 6th District county legislature seat, party chairman Richard Schaffer said Wednesday.

Schaffer said he will recommend Anker's name to a meeting of the party's executive committee next Tuesday in Bohemia.

"I think she'll make a wonderful candidate," said Schaffer, acknowledging the district is heavily Republican. "It's a tough district for us, but anything can happen in a special election."

Republican voters outnumber Democrats in the district 20,300 to 15,800, with 13,700 unaffiliated with any party. The seat became vacant when Legis. Dan Losquadro, GOP minority leader, won election to the State Assembly.

Anker is a former Mount Sinai school board member and founding director of the Community Health and Environmental Coalition. She also lives on the same block as Suffolk Republican chairman John Jay LaValle.

Republicans have already nominated former county Legis. Martin Haley to run for his old seat. Haley currently heads Brookhaven's Building Department.

The county legislature finalized the election date at its meeting Tuesday.

"Sarah's a good person who's involved in the community," said LaValle, "but Marty has a track record of service and experience, which is important at this time."