Find out the candidates the editorial board chose and why as endorsements are published throughout October.

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The Editorial Board

For more than a half century, Democrats have held the majority in the New York State Assembly. The current partisan split stands at 103 Democrats and 47 Republicans. That’s three votes more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a governor’s veto or pass certain special measures. 
It is telling about the state’s partisan power dynamics that the Assembly’s Democratic speaker, Carl E. Heastie, comes from a New York City district and that the chamber’s minority leader, Edward P. Ra, comes from Long Island. 
Of the 65 Assembly seats in the five boroughs, 59 now belong to Democrats led by Heastie. But of Long Island’s 22 members, 13 belong to Ra’s GOP conference. 
Given that scenario, the Newsday editorial board asked Long Island Assembly candidates from both parties if Nassau and Suffolk counties together would gain from having more Republicans in the delegation or more Democrats. The answers, of course, were in the eyes of the beholders. 
Republicans argued that their minority bloc serves a meaningful purpose to balance the Democratic dominance of all statewide elected offices and both legislative chambers. Ra said that just breaking the two-thirds supermajority of the Assembly Democrats this year would go a long way toward giving the GOP more clout and all the more so if Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is elected governor. 
Democrats in the delegation, such as veteran Assemb. Charles D. Lavine, suggest that they already serve Long Island as an offset to what’s seen as New York City leaders’ increasingly left-wing impulses on taxes, budgets and legislation. Not incidentally, on local projects and priorities, being in the majority allows Democrats to promise a bigger share of the state budget for their districts. 
Determining which candidate will do a better job for their district requires familiarity with its particular needs and demands. Newsday Opinion’s endorsements are based on the competing candidates’ answers to specific questions, the quality of their experience, and the ideas and values they bring to the table. In addition, we considered their propensity to reach across the aisle when necessary to play a constructive role for all their constituents. 
Not all consensus or conflict runs along prescribed party lines. For example, pension benefit improvements enacted by the State Legislature for government employees in Tier 5 and Tier 6 were broadly supported by both parties’ candidates, but so are caps on local taxes even as the pension changes raise costs on municipal governments. We heard some interesting takes from candidates on how to better or more fairly finance public schools. 
Voters’ choices are best based on the specifics of governance. The editorial board hopes the information and endorsements we’re presenting will help your own decision process.

Editorials

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New York State Assembly election endorsements overview

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The 1st Assembly District rematch between Democratic incumbent Tommy John Schiavoni and Republican Stephen F. Kiely features two of the most ideologically different candidates on the Island. 
Their biggest difference is on immigration. Kiely wants local municipalities to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement patrols while Schiavoni said ICE action on the East End will “rock our communities in ways that we really don’t even know.” 
Kiely wants to eliminate unfunded state mandates in special education that drive up school costs while Schiavoni backs increasing the cap on budget reserves for special education costs to reduce the burden on smaller school districts especially impacted by having to include those costs in their tax cap formula. 
Schiavoni, 63, of Sag Harbor, a former teacher, school board member and Southampton Town councilmember, said charter schools need more oversight and local industrial development agencies must rein in tax breaks for corporations that deprive schools of revenue. He also wants “some” exemptions from the state’s property tax cap for municipalities. 
Schiavoni said he supports the state data center moratorium because municipalities are at a disadvantage against the influence of billion-dollar companies. And he wants expanded Long Island Rail Road service to reduce traffic congestion and increase the number of customers for local businesses. “The East End of the South Fork of Long Island is one of the main economic engines of Suffolk County,” he said. 
Kiely, 51, of Mattituck, offers a wealth of governmental experience, having served as an attorney for several municipalities and as a prosecutor for two East End villages. He wants to revise recent changes in state bail laws and protect the character of the East End from any proposals to reduce the minimum size of residential lots to a quarter-acre. Kiely favors the concept of a “manor house,” which he describes as having three units inside but “looks like one single house from the street,” as well as accessory apartments and rentals above stores. 
To support a critical local industry, Schiavoni wants to exempt fishing boats from the sales tax on fuel. His bill to require the state to collect data on tick-borne illness and the insurance coverage of such claims was vetoed in 2025 by the governor. This year, he is trying to make alpha-gal syndrome a mandated reportable disease and he supports recognition of the Montaukett Indian Nation. 
Protecting the environment is a critical component of the portfolio of the East End representative and Schiavoni best follows in the tradition of Fred Thiele, who represented the district for more than three decades. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Schiavoni.

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Tommy John Schiavoni for Assembly District 1

Newsday Opinion endorses Schiavoni for Assembly District 1

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Now serving her third term, Republican incumbent Jodi A. Giglio, 58, of Baiting Hollow, puts several affordability-friendly proposals out front in her reelection campaign. She has talked about expanding tax credits to decrease out-of-pocket childcare costs, for example. 
It’s a discussion that will have to take place on both sides of the aisle but ranks among the top proposals backed by the GOP minority, which has limited opportunities to claim credit for what they may consider the positive parts of a state budget. 
In a meeting with the editorial board, Giglio said she is drafting a bill for a first-time homebuyers program modeled on the popular 529 investment plan that allows families to save for future education costs. “They could take money out of a paycheck pretax and put it into a savings account for a down payment and closing costs for a first-time home purchase,” Giglio said. 
She said a down payment assistance plan to foster first-time homebuying for working people should also be available from the Community Preservation Fund. She noted the fund has been flush from a tax on real estate transactions in the five East End towns, justifying expanding its use beyond preserving open space and farmland to help cover water and sewage projects and preserve historical structures. Another goal, motivated by concerns about water quality and the Calverton plume, is to have all district residents hooked up to public water. 
Two years ago, Giglio finished 6.9 percentage points ahead of President Donald Trump in the district. 
Democratic candidate Michael J. Szika, 27, of Manorville, is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Giglio.

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Jodi A. Giglio for Assembly District 2

Newsday Opinion endorses Giglio for Assembly District 2

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Joseph P. DeStefano, a fixture for nearly a decade as the Assembly member for the 3rd District, is seeking reelection to a fifth term. But this time, he is facing a well-known and knowledgeable challenger in Democrat Josh&nbsp;P. Slaughter, a labor leader who&nbsp;served as chief of staff for the area's former county legislator. 
DeStefano, a 66-year-old Republican from Medford, said Democrats who have controlled the Assembly for years have shut Republicans out of the governmental process to the detriment of his constituents. He said in the eight years he has been in the Capitol, Republicans have not once been able to see results of state studies into numerous government functions like healthcare costs. 
“We always ask to at least have a minority member on these studies and we never get them,” he said. 
But DeStefano says that more often than not, Republicans and Democrats in state government agree. “So, to me, it's all about being bipartisan,” he said. “That's where I shine in my district because people believe that I am bipartisan.” 
Slaughter, however, said DeStefano's lack of results shows he isn't able to work effectively with Democrats in Albany. He faulted DeStefano for voting against a state moratorium on data centers, and for not getting more roads repaved. Slaughter&nbsp; also said DeStefano failed to make progress on an underpass at the Long Island Rail Road grade crossing at&nbsp;William Floyd Parkway, something residents have been seeking for 30 years. 
“It's your job to get it on [Gov. Kathy Hochul's] radar as the state electeds and fight with the MTA to make sure these get into the capital plan,” said Slaughter, 43, of Shirley. 
DeStefano, who is on the Assembly transportation and ways and means committees, said “the MTA is not listening to the people of the community,” later adding, “But we are still working. We're not going to be silent.” 
Slaughter&nbsp;has common-sense views in line with many residents of the 3rd District, like not piercing the state tax cap and supporting school consolidation. 
It's past time for DeStefano to deliver infrastructure improvements for his constituents. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Slaughter.

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Josh Slaughter for Assembly District 3

Newsday Opinion endorses Slaughter for Assembly District 3

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Rebecca A. Kassay is completing her first term in the Assembly, but the Port Jefferson Democrat already has made her mark. 
For the last two years, Kassay, 37, didn't give up on the notion of transferring part of the former Lawrence Aviation Industries property to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, paving the way for a future rail yard, a new Long Island Rail Road station and, perhaps, the electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch. 
It wasn't easy. But Kassay kept writing and rewriting legislation, meeting with stakeholders, and using her bully pulpit until the deal finally closed last month, opening doors for future transit improvements and preserving the important Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway. Now she's ready to start conversations and studies to determine "what a modernized rail yard would look like," and to plan for moving the station and work toward a one-seat ride to Manhattan. 
Kassay, who calls herself a "nerd," speaks with nuance on economic issues, including the state tax cap. She noted that taxpayers "are at their cap right now," and pointed to the need for municipalities to find other ways to reduce costs. She suggests incentivizing communities that welcome owner-occupied, multifamily housing for both younger adults and seniors, and points to the communities that are "last on the [county] list" of those slated to receive sewer funding — neighborhoods like Coram which, she says, she's committed to revitalizing. 
Her opponent, Port Jefferson Republican Will Sussman, offers a simplistic answer to the struggle between suburban needs and those of New York City, saying, "That's to vote no on the budgets" that contain extra city funds. Sussman, 27, a math teacher, advocates for the state to cap its spending just like it caps tax increases for local governments unless the community approves an override. He rightly highlights concerns about antisemitism, which was his impetus to seek office, but his answer to create a commission to combat it is unlikely make a difference. Sussman is quick to offer critiques of past legislation, but undercuts his arguments by not having a firm grasp on the details. 
With the Lawrence Aviation deal done, Kassay has the opportunity to build on what she started, while tackling other needs of the district and region. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Kassay.

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Rebecca A. Kassay for Assembly District 4

Newsday Opinion endorses Kassay for Assembly District 4

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At 36, Assemb. Douglas M. Smith, a Holbrook Republican, offers voters both energy and seasoning. He has served in the seat since 2018 when he won a special election to succeed Al Graf, who’d been elected to a Suffolk judgeship. 
Now the ranking Republican on the chamber’s Education Committee, Smith was a high school math teacher after graduating from St. Joseph’s University in Patchogue with degrees in mathematics and adolescent education. Last year, Smith also became chairman of the Town of Islip Republican Committee, succeeding William Garbarino. 
Due to that background, he pays extra attention to the complexities of state school funding and its local impact. 
Smith told the editorial board he is among a number of lawmakers of both parties who believe that charter schools should not be funded in New York State the way they are. 
“You can agree or disagree with the model of charter schools, but they are costing our taxpayers a tremendous amount of money,” Smith said. He pointed out that the Sachem school district, where he lives, has “24 students that elect to go to a charter school out of 11,000. That’s costing the district $400,000.” 
While change is unlikely, Smith notes pressure could be taken off property taxes on Long Island if the state didn’t fund so large a proportion of New York City’s single massive school district. 
He proposes increasing property taxes for residents of the five boroughs by a modest 1%. Smith also notes that the GOP minority had long been critical of the state’s timetable on the crossover to electric school buses which this year was pushed back five years. 
Smith cites other district issues he attends to, including a major pothole problem along a seven-mile stretch of Route 25, or Middle Country Road, between Smith Haven Mall and County Route 83. 
With community support, he said, repairs are finally expected during paving season next spring. 
Democrat Victoria A. Russell, 61, of Holbrook, is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Smith.

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Douglas M. Smith for Assembly District 5

Newsday endorses Smith for Assembly District 5

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Philip R. Ramos, 70,&nbsp;of Bay Shore, was first elected to the chamber in&nbsp;2002 and has risen&nbsp;to the position of deputy speaker, giving&nbsp;him a powerful perch from which to advocate for his district.&nbsp; 
Lately, he rightly used it to criticize&nbsp;the presence of U.S.&nbsp;Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents around local schools and to get passed&nbsp;legislation that prohibits public property such as fire departments from being used as staging areas for immigration enforcement. 
While meeting with the editorial board, Ramos, the dean of the Long Island delegation of Assembly members, touted a&nbsp;"historic" amount of school aid delivered to area schools, especially to&nbsp;the Brentwood district. The Democrat&nbsp;said that&nbsp;money keeps taxes down for residents who otherwise would have to pay more in school taxes to cover the cost of education. Ramos, who defines his job as making sure "his community gets a piece of the pie," noted how&nbsp;food insecurity is now reaching some middle class families. 
Ramos, who served for two decades in the Suffolk County Police Department, has been pushing a bill that would require police&nbsp;officers to report the misconduct of fellow officers&nbsp;and&nbsp;make it a crime for failing to report. He also wants the state police superintendent to establish uniform protocol for how an investigation should take place when a police officer shoots a civilian.&nbsp; 
Dennis J. Barravecchio, 74, of Central Islip, who is running on&nbsp;the Republican line,&nbsp;is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Ramos.

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Philip R. Ramos for Assembly District 6

Newsday Opinion endorses Ramos for Assembly District 6

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For the first time in six years, residents of the 7th Assembly District will have a new representative. 
Current Assemb. Jarett C. Gandolfo is running for State Senate. Seeking the seat in one of the harder-fought races this season are&nbsp;DawnMarie D. Lentz-Kuhn, a Republican Islip Town councilwoman, and&nbsp;Democrat&nbsp;Trish Kopp, a retired art teacher. 
Lentz-Kuhn, 39, of Bohemia, is a mainstay in Islip Republican politics, having worked as chief of staff for Anthony Piccirillo, the presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature. She also has her own political consulting and data analysis firm. She wants the state to suspend taxes on gas and home heating oil but says the decreased revenue wouldn't impact the state budget. And she supports exemptions from the state property tax cap for municipalities like Islip. 
"I do not foresee helping the folks at the pump or when they heat their home during the winter ...&nbsp;would negatively impact the budget in a big way," she said. 
Lentz-Kuhn wants to "introduce" a first-time homebuyer credit, but the state already provides several incentives for first-time homebuyers. She said she isn't "naive" to think she can fix traffic congestion at the Oakdale Merge and&nbsp;didn't offer a plan. "But I will advocate for not just another study or throwing money at the wall, but trying to find a real solution in that area," she said. 
Kopp, 60, of Oakdale, has a clearer plan for Long Island's housing crisis, saying the state should build small&nbsp;starter homes that are "union built" and use "forward-thinking energies." She said if governments can dole out tax breaks to corporations for data centers and warehouses, they can do the same for taxpayers. She is opposed to the proposed Amazon warehouse in Holbrook and wants to tax billionaires to pay for universal childcare. 
Success in Albany for a minority member means being able to work in a bipartisan way but Lentz-Kuhn's career so far is decidedly partisan and she is too entrenched in local GOP politics to be effective in the Democratic-controlled Assembly. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Kopp.

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Trish Kopp for Assembly District 7

Newsday Opinion endorses Kopp for Assembly District 7

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First elected to the Assembly in 2002, Republican Michael J. Fitzpatrick is one of the chamber's most iconoclastic members, a reliable challenger to the conventional wisdom of Albany. 
Fitzpatrick, 69, of St. James, a career financial analyst, repeatedly raises the alarm on excessive spending and was one of the few members who stood his ground against the unraveling of Tier 5 and 6 pension changes that had been designed to reduce costs. 
For more than four years, he has advocated for the state to rename its higher educational system to the University of New York and to make Stony Brook University, a neighbor to his district, a national brand. Fitzpatrick also wants Stony Brook to field top conference sports programs. 
Making her first run for elective office, Democrat Lynn M. Trupiano-O'Keefe, 61, of Kings Park, would like to see some of the buildings at the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center repurposed for veterans housing. A retired nuclear medical technologist, she is passionate about reducing medical costs. She supports the New York Health Act, a universal single-payer healthcare system which she said would reduce taxes. 
Trupiano-O'Keefe knows her community and would ably represent it in the Assembly. But Fitzpatrick's principled fiscal restraint advocacy is a voice that must continue to be heard. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Fitzpatrick.

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Michael J. Fitzpatrick for Assembly District 8

Newsday Opinion endorses Fitzpatrick for Assembly District 8

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As a member of the Assembly minority, Michael A. Durso doesn't often see his name as a main bill sponsor. But his fingerprints — and those of his fellow Republicans — are often all over legislation that makes it through the Albany gauntlet, Durso said.&nbsp;Often, the Massapequa Park resident noted, the issues he and other Republicans bring up during debate are the topics addressed in chapter amendments or veto messages,&nbsp;sometimes right down to the word. 
Durso, who is completing his third term in office,&nbsp;wisely articulates&nbsp;the need for changes to the school funding formula, especially to address shifts in technology and the uptick in services required by more vulnerable students, such as English language learners and those with special needs. He's just as capable at assessing his district's aging infrastructure concerns, highlighting the need for a more permanent fix to the Fire Island Inlet Bridge leading to Robert Moses State Park after a gaping hole was patched this year. 
But Durso's passion radiates when he speaks about a bill he hasn't gotten passed yet. Durso, 46, introduced Connor's Law, named after Massapequa High School student Connor Kasin, who died in 2024 after a medical emergency during a charity hockey game. Durso's meaningful and sensible bill would require student athletes to obtain&nbsp;cardiac fitness clearance, including an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram, before they can play interscholastic sports. "I think it will save lives," Durso said. 
West Babylon Democrat Christopher J. Walis announced in August that he was suspending his campaign, but remains on the ballot. Walis, 27, did not meet with the editorial board. 
Durso is an up-and-coming presence in the Nassau&nbsp;GOP for good reason.&nbsp;Durso, a union member who previously served as a sanitation worker and supervisor for Oyster Bay Town,&nbsp;listens to all perspectives&nbsp;and negotiates respectfully. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Durso.

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Michael A. Durso for Assembly District 9

Newsday Opinion endorses Durso for Assembly District 9

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Incumbent Steve Stern, a Democrat from&nbsp;Dix Hills, served for 12 years in the Suffolk County Legislature and ran for Congress before being elected to the Assembly seat in 2018 in a special election. Stern, who turns 58 next week,&nbsp;seeks his&nbsp;fifth full term. 
Conversations with constituents tend to come around to property taxes, he said, adding that there have&nbsp;to be "more layers of relief" beyond the current state cap on local taxes. He said he'd like to see STAR exemptions expanded to include first-time homebuyers and escalating exemptions for senior citizens as they age. 
The Democratic conference, he said, is moving to establish a select committee on school funding. Given the perpetual concern about rising property taxes, Stern defends the current state tax cap as assuring accountability because voter approval is required when school districts seek to raise taxes above the&nbsp;2% cap. 
Stern agrees with the sentiment that&nbsp;uniform statewide&nbsp;guidelines are needed for the safe operation of e-bikes both for riders and pedestrians.&nbsp;He prioritizes&nbsp;the continued expansion of sewers in the district&nbsp;and funding a community center for Huntington Station at the former state armory. Stern also&nbsp;want the state to accelerate its&nbsp;efforts to track and prevent veterans' suicides. 
Stern's Republican opponent, Tiffany L. LeGrow, 46, of Huntington, is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday Opinion endorses Stern.

Newsday Opinion's 2026 New York State Assembly election endorsements

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