Kwani B. O'Pharrow for Assembly District 11

Two years ago, the 11th Assembly District offered an open seat, and two qualified candidates — both retired NYPD officers — sought to fill it.

Now, the district's residents get a rematch, as Amityville Republican Joseph R. Cardinale is again facing North Amityville Democrat Kwani B. O'Pharrow. This time, however, O'Pharrow is the incumbent, after winning a very tight race in 2024.

O'Pharrow, 55, said he has "learned quickly" how to navigate the politics of the State Legislature. As Long Island representatives, he said, "We have to be the loudest voice in the room" to assure that the region's needs are met. As O'Pharrow points out, that means more than just getting funding for district-specific projects. It's having conversations with Assembly leaders to make sure the entire region receives the infrastructure, transportation and Environmental Bond Act funding it's been promised.

O'Pharrow recognizes that more of the district, such as Wheatley Heights and parts of Wyandanch, requires sewering, especially to lure more business and housing development to those areas. And he's attentive to one particular missing piece in his neighborhoods: community centers and similar spots that can provide after-school activities and other opportunities, especially for the region's teens. O'Pharrow is connecting with area nonprofits to begin filling that need.

Cardinale, 72, rightly worries about the departure of younger Long Islanders, and seeks to expand the presence of area trade schools like BOCES. "We're coming into an age right now where you're going to have to start working with your hands, not just at a desk, and we're not putting enough investments into that," he said, noting that the Island's infrastructure and other needs could provide an important pipeline to new jobs. Cardinale suggests making it easier and less expensive for older generations to transfer their wealth to their children and grandchildren by limiting or undoing the tax burden on such transfers. And he spotlights the district's small businesses, saying he'd like to see incentives and tax credits to encourage them to start, stay and grow.

Cardinale noted that his house is "across from the water," but that after the recent nor'easter, his house was "on the water." Frequent flooding, he said, is "wiping out the South Shore." He'd like to see a more robust program to help families raise their homes.

Cardinale is smart and innovative, but O'Pharrow has a handle on the complexities of the district, how the region's needs fit in the broader statewide mosaic, and how to use the levers of the Assembly to fight for both.

Newsday Opinion endorses O'Pharrow.