'2 Damn High' gadfly comes to Nesconset

Jimmy McMillan, the gadfly gubernatorial candidate whose “The Rent Is 2 Damn High” catchphrase became a national sensation last year, will be the guest speaker Tuesday at a meeting of the Nesconset Chamber of Commerce.

The luncheon is at noon at the Akropolis Greek Restaurant,127 Smithtown Blvd., in Nesconset.

McMillan, who sported white muttonchops, beard and black gloves during the campaign, ran on the Rent Is 2 Damn High party line and called for a rent freeze and reduction. He got 41,131 votes, or nearly 1 percent of the statewide total, including 3,927 votes in Suffolk and 3,669 in Nassau, according to the state Board of Elections.

Chamber President Steven Gargiulo said, “I thought he would be interesting. A lot of people were talking about him.”

 Photo: Jimmy McMillan during a 2010 gubernatorial debate.