Hundreds of local and state officials, community activists and Long Island residents attended the grand opening of the newest field office for the presidential campaign of Michael Bloomberg on Saturday.
The office, the first one to open in the state outside of New York City, is located adjacent to the Mineola LIRR station and the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building at 210 Old Country Road, Mineola.
According to campaign representatives, the office will host canvassing and phone banking events, voter outreach and other community engagement activities ahead of the state’s Democratic primary on April 28.
“We are fortunate to have someone like Mike Bloomberg running for president right now,” state campaign director John Calvelli said to the crowd. “What’s most important to me is the people that have come and shown their support for Mike.”
Calvelli said that one of the first people who reached out to him in support of Bloomberg was state Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach).
Kaminsky recalled that he was in law school at New York University when the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks occurred. He touted Bloomberg’s leadership in the aftermath of the attacks.
“I learned a great lesson about Mike Bloomberg in those years where I got to be in his city,” Kaminsky said. “I saw the way he was able to have New York rise from the ashes [and] come together as one unified group determined to succeed.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was also in attendance and expressed his confidence in Bloomberg becoming the country’s next president, and praised his ability in starting his own company, and previous governing experience.
“This is the most consequential election of our lifetime,” Bellone said. “Quite frankly my friends, our nation needs to get back into the business of solving problems. This is the right moment for [Bloomberg] to come forward and lead our country.”
Bellone said he will do “whatever is necessary” to help Bloomberg capture the presidency in November.
Kaminsky and Bellone are among the 12 elected officials throughout New York that have endorsed Bloomberg’s presidential candidacy.
Others include U.S. Rep. Max Rose, state Sen. Diane Savino, state Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, Assemblywoman Taylor Darling, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy, New York City Councilman Paul Vallone, Buffalo Councilman Joel Feroleto and Amherst Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa.
Bloomberg’s Nassau regional office director, Skye Ostreicher, said she is proud to lead the campaign and be a part of the Mineola office. Ostreicher previously worked on the administration team for current U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) when he was Nassau County executive from 2002 to 2009.
“We basically work 24/7,” Ostreicher said. “This office will be here for you to come and meet the team. Like everyone has said, the most important thing is that everyone shows up and votes on April 28.”
Bloomberg, mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, launched his bid for the 2020 presidential race on Nov. 24. The 77-year-old from Brighton, Massachusetts, spent more than $188 million on the campaign through Dec. 31, according to campaign finance filings.
