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October 20th , 2025 Len’s Political Note #760 Tom Suozzi New York 03
2026 General Election
Tom Suozzi
Long Island, except for the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, has some political resemblance to Kansas. Not long ago, like Kansas now, three of Long Island’s four US Representatives were Republican. Like Kansas, Long Island has a Democratic Governor. Like Kansas, Long Island has some pretty extreme right wing politicians. Perhaps the best known of those extremists is former Congressman, now head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin. Kansas’s sole Democratic US House member is former mixed martial arts fighter Sharice Davids.
Tom Suozzi is a moderate, outspoken, even pugnacious Democrat. He won his election in 2024 and returned to Congress replacing a freshman expelled from Congress. You may remember him – George Santos. Tom Suozzi’s opponent in 2024 was Michael LiPetri Jr. An attorney and former Assemblyman, LiPetri Jr had lost a 2020 primary for NY 01 and lost again in 2024. Tom Suozzi won the 2024 election by a 12,958 vote margin: 51.7 – 48.1.
Tom Suozzi’s dad immigrated to the United States as a child from Ruvo del Monte, a town inland from Naples and halfway to the Adriatic. As an adult, Tom Suozzi’s dad became mayor of Glen Cove, Long Island.
Having graduated from Chaminade High School and Boston College, Tom Suozzi began his career working as an accountant. He earned a little money and went to law school at Fordham. He got a clerkship in a US District Court and then worked as a commercial litigator at one of the big firms – Shearman & Sterling.
In 1993, Tom Suozzi was elected mayor of Glen Cove. He and his father were not the only family members to be elected to that position. So was his Uncle Vincent and his cousin Ralph.
He made a name for himself cleaning up Glen Cove’s environmentally challenged industrial and commercial sites. For his troubles, Tom Suozzi was elected Nassau County Executive, the first Democrat in 30 years in that role. The County was ripe for electing a Democrat because the Republicans had run the county into near bankruptcy. Tom Suozzi brought Nassau County back from that near financial collapse.
For doing gritty financial work that was as distasteful as his previous job cleaning up Glen Cove’s industrial waste, Tom Suozzi was rewarded in 2009 by being defeated and defeated again in 2013. He had used up some of his credits by running in a 2006 primary for Governor against Eliot Spitzer. He lost to Spitzer 82-18. Spitzer was elected in the general election obtaining 69% of the vote. Who knew Tom Spitzer would have been a better and longer lasting Governor than the former Attorney General. Spitzer resigned in 2008 after a prostitution scandal.
In 2016, Tom Suozzi found his niche. He was elected to Congress from New York 03, defeating his Republican opponent 53-47. He won by larger margins in 2018 and 2020. In Congress, he focused on taxes. He attempted to eliminate the SALT tax that had limited deductions for state and local taxes hurting taxpayers in high tax states like New York. He attempted to work with Republican members of Congress, serving for a time as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. One problem he wanted to solve was transgender girls playing girls’ sports. His position earned him some backlash, but was popular in his district and elsewhere on Long Island.
In 2022, he tried for bigger things again – running for Governor again. A campaign seemed possible. The former Lt. Governor, Kathy Hochul, had recently become Governor after Andrew Cuomo’s resignation. Cumo had been accused of sexual harassment. Tom Suozz’s campaign focused on Hochul’s proposal to allow single family home owners to build separate “in-law” housing on their property. Tom Suozzi described this plan as an attack on the concept of single family housing. Voters did not agree. He came in third in the Gubernatorial primary.
By 2024, Tom Suozzi was back at home, again elected to represent New York 03, in 2024.
Tom Suozzi has never felt that his election to any position, except perhaps, Mayor of Glen Cove, was an easy win. In 2024, he was elected by a relatively narrow margin. In the 2026 contest, he sees the prospective mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, as a threat to his own reelection. He fears that Mamdani will redefine what a Democrat is; will make it appear that Democrats are really Democratic Socialists. Tom Suozzi opposes the probable mayor at every opportunity. He told the Jewish Insider website that he is in the “Never Mamdani camp.”
Tom Suozzi explains that Mamdani has tapped into the discontent that Donald Trump has capitalized on: Tom Suozzi says the discontent is justified. “The economy isn’t working for them. They can’t afford housing, health insurance or education for their kids. They’re [legitimately] worried they won’t have enough money to retire.” These people do not turn to regular Democrats because regular Democrats, Tom Suozzi says, are seen to be focused elsewhere — on reproductive rights and the problems of members of the LGBTQ community.
Tom Suozzi says Mamdani’s solutions to the core issues are the wrong solutions. The free programs (buses, childcare) will cost money and require higher taxes, higher New York state taxes which he says will drive people out of the state. Tom Suozzi insists that the solutions have to be national. He is in Congress to achieve those solutions — “stronger unions, revitalized manufacturing, and a labor market that rewards hard work over wealth accumulation”. He says if we want to raise taxes on the wealthy, “return to pre-Trump [national] rates for those earning more than $400,000…..let’s let Congress do it.”
He adds his support for “reshoring high-tech manufacturing, building supply chains with allies, and investing in frontier industries such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, and biotech.” He would “cut red tape, reform outdated permitting processes, and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure to create middle class jobs and boost long term growth”.
Tom Suozzi’s plan sounds a little like a Joe Biden plan. He would find Democrats for whom these plans resonate. We have recently had another indicator of Democrats winning where they has not won recently. Anchorage elected its first Democratic mayor in ten years. The American people could well elect a Congress with a substantial majority of Democrats and a Democratic Senate besides.
Tom Suozzi is, as usual, deeply uncomfortable about his prospects for election in 2026. However, he does not have an opponent yet. If the political trends continue, Tom Suozzi will have a Democratic majority to work with after the 2026 election. Let’s hope he can work on his own vision while working with Democrats who have a somewhat different vision. A united Democratic majority in the House and, conceivably, in the Senate, can push Trump hard and put the Democrats in a position to win the Presidency in 2028. The United States needs to recreate a prosperous and (small d) democratic country.
Help make sure that happens. DONATE to Tom Suozzi’s campaign. Put Tom Suozzi in a position to work with other New Yorkers including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his colleague in the House Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
OTHER DEMOCRATS TO SUPPORT IN THE NORTHEAST
Incumbents
Maine 02 Jared Golden has been a frustration for Republicans. A local whose dad owned a golf course, who preferred the grounds crew to the golfers, who preferred volunteering for the military to the local state college, who had a bad war in Iraq and Afghanistan and returned home with PTSD. He was rescued from his job in a pizza joint by Bowdoin faculty. He graduated, returned to Iraq to be helpful, came home to work for Susan Collins but, honoring his father’s love of JFK, he remained a Democrat, though is generally seen as the Congress’s most conservative Democrat. In 2024 he won by 3,206 votes. In 2026, he will face the state Auditor in the primary and the former Governor Paul LePage who describes himself as a Trumper before Trump was elected to anything. DONATE to Jared Golden. He needs your help for the primary and the general election. See Len’s Political Note #719
New York 19. Josh Riley returned to his home area, once a thriving industrial area, but no longer after the loss of shoe factories and the IBM plant. He had escaped to college, law school, and a politically oriented law practice which addressed the need for health care and included time serving as Al Franklen’s staff attorney early in his tenure as a senator. Josh Riley returned home to run for Congress, losing a close election in 2022, winning a close election by 8,457 votes in 2024. His Republican opponent for 2026, Peter Oberacker was a local businessman and politician. Elected to the State Senate, he sought an investigation of New York State Electric and Gas, ckl-sponsored bi-partisan legislation to ban dangerous food additives, and voted against the legalization of marijuana. Help Josh Riley win again. He is helping himself; closing on June 30, 2025 with $1.2 million available for the campaign. DONATE. Help him dominate the campaign. So far,the FEC cannot report anything about the finances of his probable opponent, State Senator Peter Oberacker. See Len’s Political Note #727.
New York 04. Laura Gillen is the grandchild of Italian immigrants. She grew up on Long Island, a child of prosperity. After an all girls Catholic high school, she attended Georgetown and thought, maybe, she could be an actress. She tried, but could not. She tried set design and got some work, but found herself in a placement agency. Instead, she went to sea, working for adventure travel. After that, Laura Gillen volunteered for Mother Teresa. She returned home for law school and a general law practice – first in New York City, then on Long Island. On Long Island, she was elected to run Hempstead, the largest town in the country (It would be the country’s 17th largest city if it were a city). Help Laura Gillen stay ahead of the game. She won by 8,625 votes in 2024. She needs to stay ahead of the game. She has two primary opponents, one of whom has reported no money raised so far, the other has not reported at all. She has an announced opponent, businessman Martin Smithmyer. He has not reported either. Laura Gillen’s reports showed she had $1 million available for her campaign on July 1. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #729.
New York 18. Pat Ryan won by a comfortable 51,977. You might think he does not need any help, but this is a district that Donald Trump won. He is helping himself raising money and had $1.65 million available for his campaign on July 1. He has one announced opponent – Sharanjit Singh Thind, a businessman. The FEC appears not to have any information about his campaign funds yet.
Republican Incumbents to oppose
Pennsylvania 07. Incumbent Ryan Mackenzie flipped a Democratic seat in 2024, winning by 4,062 votes. As of July 1, he had $1.2 million available for his campaign.
Here are five Democratic have announced their candiudacies so far:
Firefighters Union Leader Bob Brooks The FEC has no information to report about him
Former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell. He had $250,000 on July 1
Utility Company Executive Carol Obando-Derstine had $125,000 on July 1
County Executive Lamont McClure. He had just under $100,00 on July 1
County Controller Mark Pinsley. He had not yet reported
Pennsylvania 10 Incumbent Scott Perry worked closely with Donald Trump in encouraging the January 6 insurrection. He was elected by a narrow 5,133 votes. As of July 1, he had $1.2 million available for his campaign.
Former TV anchor and 2024 opponent Janelle Stelson had a minimal amount of money available for her campaign on July 1. .DONATE. See Len’s political Note #741
County Commissioner Justin Douglas has announced recently. No campaign fund information is yet available.
Pennsylvania 08 Incumbent Bob Bresnahan flipped a Democratic seat by a margin of 6,252 votes. He had about $850,000 available for his campaign on July 1. One Democratic candidate has announced. While others are considering running, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti appears to be the probable nominee. Her campaign fund information is not available. DONATE
New York 17 Incumbent Michael Lawler flipped a Democratic seat by a margin of 29,346. On October 1, he had $2.9 million available for his campaign. Despite those numbers, the extent of his vulnerability is suggested by the seven Democratic candidates who have announced a run against him
Tech Company CEO and Briarcliff Deputy Mayor Peter Chatzky had $675,000 on July 1 for his campaign
Former National Security Council Member Cait Conley had $600,000 on July 1 for her campaign.
County Legislator Beth Davidson had $500,000 on July 1 for her campaign.
Town Trustee Effie Phillips-Staley $100,000 on July 1 for her campaign.
Anti-poverty nonprofit CEO Jessica Reinmann had almost $450,000 on July 1 for her campaign.
Former TV reporter and attorney Mike Sacks had $100,000 on July 1 for his campaign.
Former Senior FBI Official John Sullivan had $150,000 on July 1 for his campaign.
Pennsylvania 01 Incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick keeps winning despite his district leaning Democratic. Fitzpatrick won by 59,348 votes in 2024. ON July 1, prepared for a tough campaign, Fitzpatrick had $6.5 million available for his campaign. A Democrat win is possible in a Democratic wave year, in a year where Fitzpatrick took embarrassing votes, and a year when the Democratic candidate is particularly strong. There are two Democrats who have expressed interest:
County commissioner Bob Harvie had $200,000 available on July 1 for his campaign. DONATE. He should be the front runner.
Attorney and ex Republican Tracy Hunt information from FEC not yet availabl
New York 21 The incumbent Elise Stefanik will almost certainly be running to be Governor of New York.. Her 83,549 margin of victory in 2024 becomes less relevant for planning for 2026. Nor is the $10 million she has available to run for New York 21 relevant for a House campaign without her. She had originally anticipated becoming the UN Ambassador, but Trump withdrew the nomination because the Republican House majority was so small and, perhaps, he feared losing a special election when the local Republican Party was divided about who to nominate. The Democrats, on the other hand, were united.
Dairy Farmer Blake Gendebien was the apparent Democratic nominee for the special election that never happened. As of July 1, he had $1.5 million available for the campaign.after having raisied more than $3 million, and spending money to keep his name in front of the public. DONATE. See Len’s Political Note #706
