Rose Marie Walker for Nassau Legislative District 17
Nassau County Legis. Rose Marie Walker (R-Hicksville) is running for reelection. Credit: James Escher
Find out the candidates Newsday's editorial board has selected on your ballot: newsday.com/endorsements2026
The 17th District includes Hicksville, Bethpage and parts of Farmingdale and North Massapequa.
First elected in 2009, Hicksville Republican Rose Marie Walker, 75, has been an enduring presence in her district and a stalwart in the GOP-dominated county legislature.
Walker continues to be a strong advocate for first responders in her district and the county, and seeks ways to improve recruitment and retention. In her decades of public service, she has amassed an impressive resume of community service in multiple organizations.
Democrat Ryan J. Johnson, 34, of Bethpage, is an attorney with keen ideas, like upgrading walkable communities to improve safety while enhancing business opportunities. He criticizes long-serving elected officials for not listening directly to constituents. He is against the county’s overspending on outside legal firms and worries about water quality in the wake of federal funding cuts.
Newsday Opinion endorses Walker.
ENDORSEMENTS ARE DETERMINED solely by the Newsday editorial board, a team of opinion journalists focused on issues of public policy and governance. Newsday’s news division has no role in this process.
