Roslyn businessman Adam Haber, who is challenging Democratic party favorite and former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi (Glen Cove) for the party’s nomination to challenge County Executive Edward Mangano (R-Bethpage) in the fall, blasted Suozzi at a press conference Thursday for failing to debate him ahead of September’s primary.
Suozzi, Haber said, had declined challenges to a series of debates and refused to appear at speaking engagements where Haber would also be present.
“Tom has already admitted taking Nassau County families for granted in his failed 2009 campaign,” Haber said. “I think Democrats need to consider the consequences for voting for a candidate who hides from the voters and is afraid to answer questions.”
Suozzi’s campaign declined to comment on Haber’s criticism.
Suozzi has been active on the campaign trail and in interviews with the press, but has focused his campaign’s crosshairs on Mangano, who narrowly unseated Suozzi in 2009. Haber’s largely self-funded campaign has released mailers and television advertisements harshly critical of Suozzi’s tenure in office, but the Suozzi camp has not returned fire.
Haber said debates would grant voters a more in-depth look at his and Suozzi’s ideas for the county.
“Debating the issues is required for candidates from dogcatcher all the way to president of the United States, and voters deserve to have debates where candidates answer the questions of the community and the press,” Haber said. “Unlike Tom, I trust the voters to make informed decisions after hearing from the candidates.”
Haber drew parallels between his campaign and Suozzi’s successful 2001 primary fight against then-Nassau Democratic Party Chairman Tom DiNapoli, saying that Suozzi had sought debates when he was the underdog candidate. Haber cited 2001 interviews with the New York Times and Newsday, where Suozzi called on DiNapoli to debate him and asked what his opponent was afraid of.
Haber’s campaign has been an uphill battle.
Suozzi launched his run with the support of county Democratic chief Jay Jacobs and has racked up endorsements from county, town and village Democratic leaders as well as several unions.
Haber told Blank Slate Media that his campaign has worked to narrow the name recognition gap, and that he currently was above 50 percent name recognition according to internal campaign figures.
Haber said what whether or not Suozzi agreed to debate, he was committed to the race. He added that Suozzi had called him during the campaign and asked him to drop out of the race.
Haber’s campaign recently sent out mailers attacking Suozzi for raising his salary as county executive among other charges. Those mailers did not feature Haber’s name; Haber said at the press conference that the campaign had sent out other mailers as well, and that others did feature his name and focused on his ideas rather than attacking Suozzi.
In response to a question from a supporter, Haber said he was willing to debate “any where, any time.”
Reach reporter Dan Glaun by e-mail at dglaun@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516.307.1045 x203 or on Twitter @dglaun. Also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
