No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 7

The 7th District includes the Five Towns area and East Rockaway.

Nassau County's 7th Legislative District has been the domain of Presiding Officer Howard J. Kopel since 2010. He served as deputy presiding officer from 2018-2023 prior and has won reelection seven times. Clearly, the majority of the voters in the district support Kopel, 74, a Republican from Lawrence.

But his ascendency to the presiding officer's position came at the expense of his independence. County Executive Bruce Blakeman insisted on a rule change that permits the presiding officer to be removed at any time by a simple majority vote of the legislature. That gave the presiding officer's power to the county executive and party leaders, to the detriment of checks and balances. Legislators are supposed to act in the interests of their constituents, not the executive branch.

Kopel's opponent, Democrat Alec J. Fischthal, 25, of North Woodmere, is an intelligent young professional from the community with little experience. He emphasizes affordability and fiscal mismanagement but does not elucidate clear ideas to address those important topics.

Kopel did not meet with the editorial board.

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.