Meet The Candidates: Lee Zeldin for Congress

This November, Long Island residents will be hitting the polls to exercise their right to vote. While voters will be electing the president on Election Day, November 3, they will also be choosing their local representatives. In New York, state and federal races will also be on the ballot.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin is running to defend 1st Congressional District seat against challenger Nancy Goroff, a Democrat.

The 1st Congressional District includes most of central and eastern Suffolk County, including the East End, Brookhaven Town, and most of Smithtown. View the district map here.

Zeldin, 40, lives in Shirley with his wife Diana and 14-year-old identical twin daughters Arianna and Mikayla. He attended William Floyd High School, SUNY Albany, and Albany Law School. In addition to serving as a United States Congressman for New York's 1st Congressional District, he is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and an attorney.

In anticipation of the election, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Check out the full Q&A below:

Lee Zeldin

Why are you seeking elective office?

I was born and raised on Long Island. With my family, I now live just a few blocks from where I grew up.

In the Army, I served four years on active duty, and have spent the last 13 in the Army Reserve where I currently serve as a Lt. Colonel. In the past, I’ve been a military intelligence officer, prosecutor, magistrate and a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division.

I’m ranked the 12th most bipartisan congressman in America and I’ll work with anyone to find common ground however possible. I’ve worked hard this year to successfully secure vast quantities of PPE, testing approvals, ventilators, and funding for Long Island families, small businesses, hospitals and county government. A huge win for our district was the announcement of the $2 billion electron ion collider, which I helped steer home to Brookhaven National Lab earlier this year, which will provide vital research and thousands of jobs.

Ten of my legislative proposals have now been signed into law, helping our disabled veterans, addressing helicopter routes, improving maritime safety, improving access to complex rehabilitative wheelchairs, and more. I support key proposals to lower prescription drug costs, cover individuals with pre-existing conditions, and protect public safety. I’ve secured approvals and federal funding for many NY-1 infrastructure projects and my office has successfully resolved 15,000 constituent cases. These are real results for Long Island.

We have more work to do to continue growing jobs and our economy, strengthening our national security, ending the pandemic, improving healthcare, and backing our amazing men and women in blue.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Right now, we must focus on getting to the other side of coronavirus as quickly and safely as possible, by ensuring Long Island has all of the resources it needs, from developing and distributing a vaccine, and continuing to supply PPE and testing, and supporting local families, small businesses, and medical providers. On the other side of coronavirus, our economy, health care and national security are always top issues.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

With over 17 years of experience in the United States military where I still serve today, with my values supporting our law enforcement, military, veterans and first responders, and with my proven track record of delivering results, I’m confident that I would continue to represent our great Congressional District effectively.

I was born and raised on Long Island. I’ve spent years delivering for this district, from 9/11 first responder funding, bulletproof vests for our police, Army Corps projects, coronavirus response, and the $2 billion electron ion collider project that is now coming to Brookhaven National Lab. I will never stop serving the hardworking men and women of Long Island.

With my opponent’s dangerous anti-police policies and rhetoric, the videos, photographs and other documentation of which can be found at RadicalNancy.Com, it is clear that she has a concerning willingness to stab our police in the back. Considering her other far left positions as well, and my record of defending our amazing men and women in law enforcement, the contrast couldn’t be clearer. I want the communities that I grew up in and where my twin daughters now grow up in to be safe.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

My top priorities continue to be protecting America’s security at home and abroad, helping grow our economy and creating more good paying jobs, supporting our veterans and first responders, improving the quality of education, repairing our nation’s infrastructure, improving healthcare in America and safeguarding our environment.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Long Islanders can view my accomplishments here.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Stay grounded and don’t ever forget where you come from.

I’m a Long Islander, born and bred. This is my home; always has been and always will be. I’m running against a Chicago born radical who was a finalist for a position leaving us for Missouri just three years ago. She wasn’t selected for the position or she wouldn’t even be a Long Islander today.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

For information on myself and all of my positions, Long Islanders can visit my website. They can also follow me on Facebook @LeeMZeldin, Twitter @LeeZeldin and Instagram @LeeZeldin.

This article originally appeared on the Shirley-Mastic Patch