Former Suffolk County Executive Patrick Halpin announces congressional bid for seat held by Andrew Garbarino

Former Suffolk County Executive Patrick Halpin announced Tuesday he has launched a campaign to challenge Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) in the 2nd Congressional District next year.

Halpin, 72, a Democrat who lives in Oak Beach, will attempt to revive a political career that began in his 20s and ended three decades ago before he segued into the private sector.

"I’m not running to make noise," Halpin said in a statement. "I’m running to get things done. Washington’s broken, but I’ve seen what happens when you put your head down and do the work — when you ignore the noise and focus on people."

Halpin served one term as county executive in Suffolk from 1988 to 1991 before losing his reelection bid to Republican Robert Gaffney. Halpin was the youngest county executive in the county’s history when he took office at 34, according to Newsday archives. Up until 2023, Halpin served as managing director for the Mercury Public Affairs firm. 

Halpin served 17 years on the Suffolk County Water Authority Board, most recently as chairman from 2018 to 2023. Before his term as county executive, he served as a Suffolk County legislator from 1979 to 1982 and New York State assemblyman from 1982 to 1987.

Halpin was unavailable for an interview Tuesday, but in his campaign announcement said he's "spent years fighting to protect our drinking water" and will work across party lines to find solutions to problems small and large.

The general election is November 2026.

Garbarino, 40, was first elected to Congress in 2022. Last November, Garbarino was reelected to a two-year term by defeating Democrat Rob Lubin with 58% of the vote in the district that stretches across Long Island's South Shore from Massapequa to Mastic Beach.

Halpin criticized Garbarino as "asleep at the wheel — literally" in reference to the congressman missing an early morning vote in May on President Donald Trump’s domestic policy bill. Garbarino later voted in favor of the revised version.

"He’s been caught snoozing while voting to gut hospitals, slash food assistance, and hand billionaires more tax breaks — all while Long Island families can’t keep up with rent, childcare, or medical bills," Halpin said in a statement.

Garbarino has championed the bill as strengthening national security and providing relief for Long Islanders through an increased cap on state and local tax deductions and maintaining tax cuts established under President Donald Trump in 2017.

Garbarino senior campaign aide Anthony Pileggi said,   "For over 60 years Pat "High Tax" Halpin never saw an appointed government job he didn't like. First he voted for progressive policies in Albany, then he tried to ruin Suffolk County before he was thrown out of office after one term, and now he wants to ruin the country by voting for progressive policies in Washington, D.C. How many government pensions does this guy want?” 

Garbarino has $1.76 million cash on hand through his principal campaign committee, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission data. The committee has raised $391,395 between Jan. 1 and March 31.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently rates the district as "Solid Republican" for 2026.

Josh Taveras, a Copiague native and Stony Brook University graduate, announced in January his plans to run for the 2nd District as a Democrat as well. He’s raised $630 between Jan. 1 and March 31, according to the FEC.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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