Opinion

Endorsements

OPNCLG2025

The Editorial Board

The Nassau County Legislature has only been in existence for 29 years. That’s pretty young as governments go, especially for a county about 100 years older. 
In its short history, the legislature had functioned as a separate branch of government, providing oversight over how taxpayer dollars are collected and spent in a shared spirit of governance for all of the county’s residents. Former presiding officers such as the late Judy Jacobs, a Democrat, or Peter Schmitt, a Republican, were widely respected leaders, forceful in protecting and exercising their oversight powers regardless of who&nbsp;was county executive. 
Now governing in Mineola is more of an exercise of executive control than a shared effort to meet the considerable challenges of affordability, economic growth, safe roads and infrastructure upgrades. There are aging drainage and sewage pipes that need attention; heavy rains are closing beaches more frequently. The assessment system remains so flawed that more than half of residents challenge their tax bills annually. 
Ironically, the legislature’s first presiding officer, Bruce A. Blakeman, who served four years before losing his seat in 1999, is responsible for this new dynamic. One of Blakeman’s significant moves as county executive, in 2024, was to end the fixed two-year term of the presiding officer, who is elected by a majority of lawmakers. Now, the presiding officer can be removed at will by the majority, which essentially allows party leaders to stifle the legislative independence that fosters a bipartisan approach. 
The latest example of the legislature’s diminished role was apparent at its recent meeting to review the county executive’s proposed $4.2 billion budget: Not one question was asked by any member of the Republican majority. 
The servile actions of the GOP majority were clearly demonstrated recently when dozens of female county employees — spurred on by an email from an employee in the county&nbsp;attorney’s office — showed up for a legislative hearing dressed in red to denounce Democratic Legis. Seth I. Koslow, who is challenging Blakeman. The chamber is for governing, not rallies and the presiding officer should have ended the nonsense. 
Another consequence of this unprecedented ceding of control to the county executive is how Community Revitalization Program grants — county money that is funneled to local programs — are handled. Since January 2024, Republican legislators received 59 grants for $7.57 million, while Democrats only got two awards totaling $589,000. 
Earlier this year, the imbalance in funding capital infrastructure projects was also glaring even though Democrats had some leverage. After nine months of bitter wrangling, Blakeman was forced to fund two proposals in Democratic districts because the county charter requires a supermajority to bond capital projects. The Republicans controlled 12 of 19 votes but needed one more. Of the $429.5 million bonded, Democrats will get $1.3 million for the seven districts they represent. More than 40% of county residents are represented by Democrats. 
<h3>This year's candidates</h3> 
A considerable number of Nassau voters again will be looking at unfamiliar candidates on their ballots this year. Maps the GOP majority approved in 2023 for elections that year were later found discriminatory by a federal judge for packing minority neighborhoods in just a few districts. The voting rights lawsuit was eventually settled and a map with new boundaries will be in place until 2032. 
And a recent change in state law moving most local races to even years means Nassau’s 19 seats will be up again in 2026. 
Newsday Opinion’s endorsements in the legislative races are based on issues as we assess whether candidates, regardless of party, have the skills and experience to provide independent, constructive oversight of Nassau.

Editorials

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Nassau County Legislature elections overview

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The 1st District includes Rockville Centre, Roosevelt and parts of Hempstead. 
When discussing his first term, Democrat Scott M. Davis, 63, says he was startled by the "extraordinarily partisan"&nbsp;way the county is governed, especially when it comes to distributing community revitalization funds fairly among all 19 legislative districts. 
Despite the county's refusals, Davis, an attorney who lives in Rockville Centre, still delivered. For flower planting and new trash receptacles on Main Street, he turned to Catholic Health System to finish the project. To restore a deteriorating sign on Sunrise Highway commemorating South Side High School's 2024 state lacrosse championship, he asked Molloy University to step up. 
As Davis is creative in getting his district’s needs met, he's just as tenacious in trying to get more information about secret operations. He is one two lawmakers suing the county over the creation of a force of armed special deputies supposedly to be used in emergency situations. "We heard it a thousand times that we are the safest county in America, then what do we need this extra layer of security for?"&nbsp;he asked. 
Republican Charlene Jackson Thompson, 59, of Baldwin, is a deputy county attorney specializing in child welfare cases. She did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Davis.

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Scott M. Davis for Nassau Legislative District 1

Newsday Opinion endorses Davis for Nassau Legislative District 1

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The 2nd District includes&nbsp;Carle Place, Westbury, New Cassel and parts of Hempstead, Uniondale and Hicksville. 
The 2nd Legislative District includes one of the county's most significant parcels of land: the Nassau Hub's 72 acres surrounding Nassau Coliseum. 
But it also encompasses communities that often don't get the same spotlight, such as New Cassel, Uniondale, Hempstead and more. 
"Every single one of those areas has needs,"&nbsp;said newcomer Viviana Russell, a Westbury Democrat. 
Russell is running for a seat that's open due to redistricting, as current representative Olena Nicks now is running in the 5th District. Russell's opponent, Westbury Republican Pepitz Blanchard, ran for the seat in 2014 against former legislator and current State Sen. Siela Bynoe. 
Russell, a former North Hempstead Town board member, outlines practical solutions for key issues. As a lawmaker, she'd encourage the establishment of companion housing, where seniors could share homes with younger adults, allowing both to have a more affordable option. She wants a database of underutilized properties to determine where new development and housing could thrive. And in one of the biggest but ignored issues facing the county, Russell, 53, recommends a scoring system for aging infrastructure to decide what's fixed first. As for the Hub, Russell, who supported Las Vegas Sands'&nbsp;casino resort plan, recognizes that the gaming giant still holds the lease, and hopes to engage the community regarding what comes next. 
Blanchard, 64, a GOP committeeman, did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Russell.

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Viviana Russell for Nassau Legislative District 2

Newsday Opinion endorses Russell for Nassau Legislative District 2

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The 3rd District includes Bellerose, Bellerose Terrace, Elmont, North Valley Stream, Malverne and Lakeview and parts of Franklin Square and West Hempstead. 
Incumbent Democrat Carrié Solages, 46, of Valley Stream, who is seeking his seventh term, is well known and connected to constituents in this most diverse of districts. But the lawyer has few accomplishments to show from his long tenure. 
His opponent, Kadeem M. Brown, 34, of Elmont, is a financial adviser who sits on the board of the Southeast Queens Merchants Association, making his first run for elected office. Brown is not enrolled with any party and is running on the Republican line. Neither Brown nor Solages met with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 3

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 3

The 4th District includes the South Shore from Long Beach to Point Lookout plus East Atlantic Beach, Island Park, Barnum Island, Oceanside and parts of Jones Beach Island. 
The residents of the 4th Legislative District are at a disadvantage born of a sad incident, as they have no real alternative to incumbent Republican Patrick Mullaney. 
The Democrat on the ballot is Petros Krommidas, who has been missing since April and is presumed dead. His car and clothing were found near the Long Beach boardwalk; searches have been unsuccessful. 
Without a death certificate, the state Supreme Court ruled Krommidas'&nbsp;name must remain on the ballot. Democrats are encouraging residents to vote for Krommidas. If he wins, a special election would occur early next year giving voters an actual choice. 
Mullaney, 50, a Long Beach resident, did not meet with the editorial board. On his website, Mullaney states&nbsp;his opposition to wind energy off Long Beach's coast, and astonishingly notes that he "froze county property taxes"&nbsp;which, even if it was true, is admitting that he failed to fix a broken system. Mullaney hasn't distinguished himself in his first term. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 4

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 4

The 5th District includes Westbury and parts of Uniondale, Hempstead, West Hempstead and Franklin Square. 
Democrat Olena Nicks has deep ties with her Uniondale community as a Uniondale High School graduate, former president of the Uniondale Public Library and a captain in the Uniondale Fire Department. 
Nicks, 33, won a special election to represent Uniondale's District 2 earlier this year. However, under Nassau's new legislative map, Nicks now resides in District 5, so she is running for the open seat. 
Nicks quickly became a strong voice in the legislature. She acknowledges there is no easy fix to the county's assessment system, so she hosts workshops in person and on YouTube to teach constituents how to grieve their taxes themselves to combat the inequity in the interim. 
She also works closely with her local police precincts on disaster preparedness workshops and a National Night Out event. Her priority is to open communication and visibility with officers to make sure constituents know resources and protection are available. 
At the Nassau Hub, she plans to advocate for a convention center, hotel space and workforce housing and work with other levels of government to make that vision a reality. 
Despite Democratic districts being excluded from Community Revitalization Program funding due to partisan politics in the legislature, she succeeded in getting a first responder memorial grant past committee and approved, and $400,000 for the refurbishment of African American Museum of Nassau County through capital plan funding. She continues to advocate for the other CRP funding her district needs for the library and high school. 
Republican Moshe E. Hill, 39, of West Hempstead, did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Nicks.

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Olena Nicks for Nassau Legislative District 5

Newsday Opinion endorses Nicks for Nassau Legislative District 5

The 6th District includes Baldwin, Baldwin Harbor and Freeport. 
Debra S. Mulé refuses to give up. 
Even as she deals with a legislative majority that won't let her legislation come to a vote, or approve some of her district’s funding requests, Mulé keeps pushing, going as far as suing the county, along with fellow lawmaker Scott Davis, regarding Nassau County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman's special deputies program. And the Freeport Democrat continues to search for alternative ways to help her district, utilizing, for example, capital program funding to secure a needed bucket truck for Baldwin's fire department. 
Mulé, 63, worked previously as a social worker and rightly recognizes how that background helps her assist constituents and resolve concerns. And she promises to use her voice to advocate for residents when it comes to larger issues like public water and the future of Nassau University Medical Center. 
Republican candidate Danielle Samantha Smikle, a Freeport resident, did not meet with the editorial board. Smikle, 28, is a teacher and certified software engineer who ran unsuccessfully for the Assembly last year. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Mulé.

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Debra S. Mulé for Nassau Legislative District 6

Newsday Opinion endorses Mulé for Nassau Legislative District 6

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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&nbsp;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.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 7

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 7

The 8th District includes Garden City, Garden City South, Franklin Square, Stewart Manor and parts of New Hyde Park and Floral Park. 
Republican incumbent John J. Giuffré is an attorney seeking a third term. He is being challenged by Democrat James Lynch, a psychiatrist. 
Lynch said he's known Giuffré for 21 years and calls him a good man, but he disagrees with his support for the Las Vegas Sands casino proposal and armed "provisional special deputies"&nbsp;sought by County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman. 
Lynch, 60, of Stewart Manor, proposes building a new facility for Nassau University Medical Center at the Nassau Hub and building a tunnel&nbsp;under Hempstead Turnpike near Hofstra University for pedestrian safety. He also wants Nassau to build more affordable housing near mass transit, like Station Yards at the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station in Suffolk County. He pledges not to be a rubber stamp for Blakeman. 
Lynch has big ideas that may be too expensive or plausible to enact. While Giuffré, 61, of Stewart Manor, typically votes along with his caucus, he is responsive to his district and can offer more leadership on the legislature if it was allowed to govern.&nbsp;Giuffré&nbsp;did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Giuffré.

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John J. Giuffré for Nassau Legislative District 8

Newsday Opinion endorses Giuffré for Nassau Legislative District 8

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The 9th District includes Mineola, North New Hyde Park, North Hills,&nbsp;Manhasset Hills, Searingtown, East Williston and parts of New Hyde Park and Williston Park. 
Redistricting has brought most of the Herricks school district into this district's borders and established what's known as an "Asian influence district."&nbsp;More than a third of the electorate is now Asian American; before, no Nassau district had more than 12%. 
That change, says Roslyn Democrat Juleigh Chin, "is opening new doors."&nbsp;The new map, she adds, "was created for someone like me." 
Chin, current president of the Herricks school board, is challenging incumbent Scott P. Strauss, a Mineola Republican completing his first term. Strauss, the village's former mayor, had innovative ideas two years ago, pledging an active role in transforming the county's assessment system. He noted a desire to "rip the Band-Aid off,"&nbsp;adding: "Just do it and stop talking about it." 
But Strauss, 62, hasn't ripped the Band-Aid off on any significant county or district issue, and hasn't publicly tried to tackle assessment. He did not meet with the editorial board. 
Chin, 53, takes a thoughtful approach in analyzing sweeping issues like affordability. Noting that high school taxes often translate to high quality schools, Chin says that's not the same for the county's high taxes which should mean better roads, parks and other county services. She promises a more responsive district office and can point to the district's troubled roads, vacant storefronts, empty lots and oft-flooded areas. Chin, who works for Northwell Health as an associate program manager, said she'd advocate for more county attention to Nassau University Medical Center and potential partnerships with other hospital systems. Among her other top priorities: upgrading Christopher Morley Park and reopening its pool. 
Chin says the county cannot "sit still."&nbsp;She deserves the opportunity to push it forward. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Chin.

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Juleigh Chin for Nassau Legislative District 9

Newsday Opinion endorses Chin for Nassau Legislative District 9

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The 10th District includes northwestern Nassau from Kings Point south to Lake Success, Great Neck and parts of Roslyn, Manhasset and Searingtown. 
Nassau’s 10th Legislative District deserves thoughtful, determined leadership. 
 Incumbent Mazi Melesa Pilip, who lives in Great Neck and became a registered Republican last year, did not meet with the editorial board. Pilip, 46, campaigns on legislature-wide accomplishments like freezing the property tax rolls. 
Manhasset Democrat Paul W. Jordonne, an attorney, advocates adding housing at underutilized or vacant big box retail locations. Jordonne, 33, lacks the skill set and ideas necessary to tackle the county’s most significant issues. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 10

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 10

The 11th District includes most of the Port Washington peninsula and the east side of Hempstead Harbor from Roslyn Harbor to Glen Cove. 
Delia M. DeRiggi-Whitton has drawn the political spotlight beyond her district since 2023 when she became Democratic minority leader. She leads six other Democrats in chafing against its up-close view of the GOP-led body's growing lack of independence from the county executive’s office that results, most visibly, in a starkly partisan distribution of district project funds and overall erosion of legislative oversight. 
A lifelong resident of Glen Cove, DeRiggi-Whitton, 57, is seeking an eighth term. She expresses satisfaction with district benefits she’s been able to deliver over the years. She cites county-funded improvements in the Village of Manorhaven, a water decontamination project that it is hoped will lead next year to reopening Crescent Beach, and the use of funds from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act for local food banks. 
Looking ahead, she cites among other efforts the caucus'&nbsp;push for a 311 call system for municipal services, the need to better support the county’s emergency 911 system, and persistence in getting distribution of anti-overdose fentanyl test strips. 
Her Republican opponent Colin J. Bell, 46, of Sea Cliff, who is deputy commissioner of the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Environmental Resources, did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses DeRiggi-Whitton.

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Delia M. DeRiggi-Whitton for Nassau Legislative District 11

Newsday Opinion endorses DeRiggi-Whitton for Nassau Legislative District 11

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The 12th District includes the southwestern part of the Town of Hempstead including Bellmore, Merrick and a small part of Freeport. 
Republican Michael J. Giangregorio, of Merrick, worked this term addressing community concerns such as identifying worrisome roadway intersections. He partnered with the Nassau County Department of Public Works Engineering Division to complete a comprehensive traffic safety study along the Bellmore Avenue corridor that includes plans on how to best make improvements. 
He also addressed odor emanating from the Cedar Creek plant by pushing the waste management company there to use an independent contractor to undertake a comprehensive investigation of the problem. He remained committed to the needs of the disabled community, securing funding for an accessible playground at Cedar Creek Park. 
His opponent, Michael R. Gionesi of North Bellmore, is an attorney new to politics who said his first priority would be to bring a Safe Center for victims of domestic violence back to Nassau County. However, the 39-year-old Democrat lacked answers on how to spend the opioid settlement funding, keep property taxes down or address the challenges at Nassau University Medical Center. 
Giangregorio, 60, should make sure these traffic improvements become a reality and continue to advocate for those with special needs, especially in finding housing. Giangregorio did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Giangregorio.

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Michael J. Giangregorio for Nassau Legislative District 12

Newsday Opinion endorses Giangregorio for Nassau Legislative District 12

The 13th District includes Salisbury, East Meadow and parts of Levittown. 
East Meadow Republican Thomas McKevitt, 54, the deputy presiding officer in the GOP majority, is running for his fifth consecutive term. 
He's known for working local issues energetically and paying close attention to his district on matters ranging widely from bike safety to emergency response in hurricanes and the pandemic. He brings a rare independent streak to his caucus. As the editorial board&nbsp;noted two years ago, McKevitt listens to feedback from his constituents to govern and get results. He served in the Assembly from 2006-2017. 
His reelection campaign pitch this year continues to include holding the line on taxes and continuing to beef up police operations. McKevitt did not meet with the editorial board.&nbsp; 
His Democratic opponent, Clive A. Cossou, is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday Opinion endorses McKevitt.

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Thomas McKevitt for Nassau Legislative District 13

Newsday Opinion endorses McKevitt for Nassau Legislative District 13

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The 14th District includes Lynbrook and parts of Valley Stream. 
After a decade in office, C. William Gaylor isn't running again in this newly shaped district. 
Democrat Cynthia Nuñez, who has lived in Valley Stream for 16 years, serves on the local school board and directs operations for a Manhattan law firm that's focused on data and privacy rights issues. Elmont Republican Sheharyar Ali previously worked in the county attorney's office and now has his own law firm. 
Nuñez, 47, is particularly well-versed on the district's distinct needs, down to the block. She's focused on promoting housing in transit-oriented communities like Valley Stream and Lynbrook, establishing community green spaces and addressing the area's infrastructure challenges, particularly flooding. She deeply understands the concerns of Liberty Water customers, as she is one, and thinks the county should do more to push the process along. Nuñez pledges to partner with state officials and notes a deep connection with the residents she'd serve, saying, "Their issues are my issues." 
Ali, 32, ran for the legislature two years ago in the 3rd District, and is claiming that an apartment adjacent to a gas station in Elmont gives him residency. He did not meet with the editorial board. 
Nuñez brings a fresh perspective, new ideas and genuine enthusiasm from which the moribund legislature could benefit. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Nuñez.

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Cynthia Nuñez for Nassau Legislative District 14

Newsday Opinion endorses Nuñez for Nassau Legislative District 14

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The 15th District includes the eastern part of the Town of Hempstead including Wantagh, North Wantagh, Seaford and parts of Levittown. 
This district has gone through quite some changes lately. Not only were the boundaries radically changed, there is no incumbent. 
John R. Ferretti Jr. quit to be appointed supervisor of Hempstead Town. The open seat is being contested by Republican Kayla L. Knight, 27, and Democrat Stephen Richard Hellman, 70, both of Wantagh. 
Knight, a lawyer, was endorsed by the New York League of Conservation Voters. Her social media profiles list her as a lifelong Wantagh resident and former scheduler for County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman. Her positions are anodyne: keeping taxes flat, supporting police and maintaining local zoning control. 
Hellman, a lawyer, wants to advocate for social justice issues. He favors using nearly $100 million in opioid settlement money to build a treatment and rehabilitation center. He wants Nassau University Medical Center to be managed better, and to build affordable housing at the Nassau Hub. Knight did not meet with the editorial board. Hellman told Newsday he isn't actively campaigning. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 15

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative 15

The 16th District includes Jericho, Plainview, Old Bethpage and parts of Woodbury and Farmingdale. 
Even at a time of extreme partisanship, Democrat Arnold W. Drucker relies on the relationships he's built to get things done. 
Drucker, 68, seeking his fifth term, said those relationships with members of the legislature’s Republican majority have helped him and his district, most recently allowing him to secure nearly $1 million for the Mid-Island Y JCC to replenish COVID-19-related losses. Drucker also exhibits a deep understanding of the county's budgetary and assessment complexities, critical in any attempt to provide the oversight Nassau needs. 
Republican Jennifer Gallub Pravato is registered to vote in Farmingdale, although her residency has become a campaign issue, as she maintains a home in Massapequa Park where her husband, Oyster Bay Town Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey P. Pravato, is still registered to vote. Drucker has filed a complaint with the attorney general’s office. Gallub Pravato, 58, a real estate agent and Oyster Bay Town career counselor, did not meet with the editorial board. 
Drucker, a lifelong resident of Plainview, is a reliable lawmaker, with the institutional knowledge and ability to navigate rocky governmental terrain that make him a valuable asset. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Drucker.

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Arnold W. Drucker for Nassau Legislative District 16

Newsday Opinion endorses Drucker for Nassau Legislative District 16

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The 17th District includes Hicksville, Bethpage and parts of Farmingdale and North Massapequa. 
In her nearly 16 years in office, incumbent Rose Marie Walker has been a steady, popular presence. The Hicksville Republican has tentatively moved forward on issues&nbsp;like housing in Hicksville. But each step forward comes with a step back. 
That was apparent when Oyster Bay Town&nbsp;initially rejected a Bethpage mosque's expansion. After receiving Islamophobic and anti-mosque commentary from constituents, Walker, 74, strongly opposed the mosque's plans. The planning board's subsequent denial discussed a grandmother concerned about traffic and safety, later identified as Walker. 
Walker's words and actions spoke volumes. Walker did not meet with the editorial board. 
Attorney Ryan J. Johnson, 33, is concerned about the closing of Safe Center LI, and wants more legislative oversight. The Bethpage Democrat supports the mosque’s expansion, but lacks innovative ideas. 
Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 17

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 17

The 18th District includes most of northern Oyster Bay Town, Old Westbury, East Hills, Muttontown and Brookville, plus parts of Roslyn and Syosset. 
Karen Bhatia, 49, of Roslyn Heights, the Democratic challenger in this race, brings a sophisticated mix of professional and educational experience. She’s a lawyer with a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard and a former senior vice president at the New York City Economic Development Corp. 
Bhatia is well-versed in issues of her district. She envisions an innovative approach to its water pollution problems — helping homeowners find less expensive but more effective high-tech septic systems. 
Bhatia has a novel suggestion for using opioid settlement funds for a greater law enforcement effort against gangs to combat addiction. 
A first-time legislative candidate, she also knows countywide issues. She sees at the Nassau Hub an opportunity to develop an entertainment, recreational and sports center. For nearby educational institutions she’d focus on creating a “living lab” to harness artificial intelligence. 
First-term Republican incumbent Samantha A. Goetz, 37, of Locust Valley, hasn’t done anything that stands out. She did not meet with the editorial board. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Bhatia.

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Karen Bhatia for Nassau Legislative District 18

Newsday Opinion endorses Bhatia for Nassau Legislative District 18

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The 19th District includes Massapequa and North Massapequa. 
Despite serving four full terms in the Nassau County Legislature, Republican James D. Kennedy does not have much to show for it. 
Kennedy, 53, of Massapequa, had pledged in his last campaign to tackle the fentanyl epidemic to get help to those who need it most. But almost $100 million in opioid company settlement funds sit waiting to be dispersed, and efforts to distribute testing strips were blocked by his caucus. Kennedy has not been the vocal advocate needed to get this funding utilized for good. He did not meet with the editorial board. 
His opponent Democrat Lynn M. Russo, also of Massapequa, is a lawyer and PhD scientist who wants a complete budget audit if elected. Russo, 55, does not have specific ideas on how to solve key district issues like possibly municipalizing the area’s water, building housing and flood mitigation. Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement.

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No endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 19

Newsday Opinion makes no endorsement in Nassau Legislative District 19

Newsday Opinion's 2025 picks for Nassau County Legislature

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