Michael A. Durso for Assembly District 9

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. 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, sometimes right down to the word.

Durso, who is completing his third term in office, wisely articulates 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 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 GOP for good reason. Durso, a union member who previously served as a sanitation worker and supervisor for Oyster Bay Town, listens to all perspectives and negotiates respectfully.

Newsday Opinion endorses Durso.