State Senate Democrats are keeping a close eye on several Long Island races they think can help wrest the Senate majority from the GOP in November including the face off between state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and Democrat Adam Haber, a Roslyn school board member and former bond trader turned restaurateur.
“We’re excited about the tremendous number of opportunities we have to elect new senators on Long Island and in electing more Democrats to the Senate,” said state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria), the Senate’s Democratic campaign committee chairman. “It will give the people of Long Island senators that are more representative of their values.”
Gianaris said Thursday that the GOP’s retention of Long Island’s nine state Senate district seats is not consistent with recent voting trends or the region’s Democratic representation in the state Assembly and in Congress.
Gianaris said the Democrats are particularly focused on aiding Dave Denenberg, a Nassau County legislator from Merrick running for the 8th district position vacated in 2013 by Republican Chuck Fuschillo, who resigned to lead the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America; Adrienne Esposito, an environmental advocate from Patchogue running for the 3rd district position held by Republican Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), who is running for Congress; Bruce Kennedy, the mayor of Sea Cliff who was the GOP’s previous choice to challenge state Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) but in June switched parties and is now challenging Republican Carl Marcellino (Syosset) for the 5th district; Ethan Irwin, a lawyer and former Marine from Levittown who is running against 6th District Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City); and Haber in his challenge against Jack Martins in the 7th district position.
“All the numbers we’re seeing point toward us having the chance to pick up multiple seats on Long Island,” Gianaris said. “We have well-funded candidates running for this seat, and in Denenberg and Esposito’s case, there isn’t even an incumbent. That gives us an even better chance.”
In Haber’s campaign, the Democrats have issued mailings throughout the 7th district focusing on Martins’ opposition to the Women’s Equality Act and for raising village taxes in his former role as the mayor of Mineola during a period in which his salary was increased.
Martins narrowly unseated Democratic incumbent Craig Johnson in 2010 by 471 votes and in 2012 defeated challenger Daniel Ross, an automobile sales manager who had run unsuccessfully the year before for commissioner of the Manhasset-Lakeville Water and Fire District, by more than 4,000 votes.
The 7th state Senate district includes Mineola, Roslyn, Westbury, New Hyde Park, Williston Park, Garden City Park, Manhasset, Great Neck, Port Washington and parts of Floral Park, Franklin Square, Elmont, Valley Stream, Carle Place and Hicksville.
Democrats currently hold a 33-30 majority in state Senate, but the body is governed jointly by Republicans and a four-member independent Democratic caucus in which Republican leader Dean Skelos alternates daily as the Temporary President of the Senate with Democrat Jeffrey Klein. The Independent Democratic Congress announced several months ago that they would reconcile with the Senate Democratic Conference, but have yet to do so.
Democrats are seeking to expand the three member majority with candidates such as Haber to ensure control in the next legislative session.
“Adam is one of our premier candidates on the island,” Gianaris said. “He is someone who is much more representative of the 7th district than Jack Martins is.”
“Adam has proven successful in creating jobs in his businesses and keeping taxes under control on the Roslyn school board. He’s much more progressive on issues like managing people and protecting women,” he added.
State Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif said the Republicans expect to maintain each of Long Island’s state Senate seats, saying Republicans – not the Democrats – “have always been Long Island’s voice in Albany, and people recognize that.”
“We’ve always fought for fair and equitable distribution of district aid for education, we were instrumental in implementing the property tax cap and creating jobs. Sen. [Dean] Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) is the leader of the Senate right now, and he’s from Long Island. That’s significant,” Reif said. “You’re talking about a party that sets the agenda toward Long Island when dividing resources.”
Reif said a Democratic majority in the state Senate would “put the New York City Democrats in charge of the state government.”
He said that when Democrats controlled the Senate in 2009 and 2010 “they raised taxes by $14 million, enacted the [Metropolitan Transportation Authority] payroll tax, took STAR rebates away from seniors and shifted school aid to New York City at Long Island’s expense.”
“History says when Democrats control the entire state government, they shift aid to New York City and they forget about Long Island. Those are the facts from when they were in charge in 2009 and 2010. It was a disaster for Long Island.”
