NY Primary Election 2020: Bridget Fleming Hopes To Unseat Zeldin
SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Voters on Long Island will head to the polls this month to cast their ballots for state and federal offices in New York's primary election. That includes the 1st Congressional District, where Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin will defend his seat against challengers and Democrats Bridget Fleming, Perry Gershon, Gregory-John Fischer, and Nancy Goroff.
The election is slated for June 23, with early voting available through June 21. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's order, all registered voters in the state must receive a mail-in ballot application to apply for a postage-paid absentee ballot amid the coronavirus. All ballots postmarked by June 23 will be counted.
Fleming currently serves as a Suffolk County Legislator, was a former Southampton Town Councilwoman and also served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Manhattan DA's Office.
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.
Patch has reached out to all the candidates in the primary election. Here are their responses:
Bridget Fleming
Age as of Election Day
60
Town of residence
Hampton Bays
Position Sought
U.S. Congress
Party Affiliation
Democrat
Family
Husband Bob, son Jai
Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No
Education
BA, Hunter College
JD, University of Virginia School of Law
Occupation
Assistant District Attorney, Manhattan DA’s office (1991 to 2000)
Southampton Town Board Member (2010 to 2015)
Suffolk County Legislator, 2nd Legislative District (2015 to present)
Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office
Southampton Town Board Member (2010 to 2015)
Suffolk County Legislator, 2nd Legislative District (2015 to present)
Campaign website
Why are you seeking elective office?
I am running for Congress because the stakes are simply too high for me to sit on the sidelines. For 11 of the past 15 terms, the 1st Congressional District was represented by Democrats, who brought thoughtful, stable leadership. This has been replaced by the extreme partisanship of Lee Zeldin, a member of the Freedom Caucus and one of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters in Congress. I’m running to take on Lee Zeldin, to hold him accountable and to bring stable, responsible leadership to Congress.
The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it:
Climate change is the existential crisis of our lifetime. This is especially true of us on Long Island where we are exposed on the front lines to its effects. When it comes to climate change, it’s not just about what I will do, but also about what I have done. As a Suffolk County legislator, I created a capital fund to make region-wide infrastructure investments to combat climate change; I worked to convince LIPA to accept Community Choice Aggregation, and when Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke tried to allow offshore drilling on our coastlines I helped lead the charge against it. In Congress, I will continue to be a champion on the environment by working to ensure that the EPA is fully funded, that we promote green energy and green jobs, especially here on Long Island, and ensuring that communities like ours have the resources they need to combat the effects of climate change.
What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
In my primary, I am the only candidate who has ever won an election for, or held public office. I have a decade of experience and a proven track record of delivering time and time again for my constituents. This also serves as a contrast with my general election opponent, Lee Zeldin. Where I have worked to build bridges, reach consensus and bring people together to accomplish difficult tasks, Zeldin has embraced a divisive, far-right agenda. People want stable, competent leadership. Throughout my decade in public office I have proven that this is something I bring to the table and Lee Zeldin does not.
If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?
Representative Zeldin has been in lockstep with Donald Trump, even when it hurts the people of Long Island. His vote to defund the EPA, which plays a critical role in protecting our coastlines and fighting climate change, his refusal to support bipartisan fixes to the SALT tax cap, which hurts thousands of families in Suffolk County, and his recent vote against the Heroes Act, which denied Suffolk County billions of dollars in much needed funding, are just a few of the many examples of Lee Zeldin choosing Donald Trump over Long Island.
Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.
I believe in working together to implement common-sense solutions to our problems. In Congress, I will push to achieve universal healthcare, protect a woman’s right to choose, fight for LGBTQ rights and common-sense gun violence prevention measures. I will also fight to ensure that state and local governments have the resources they need to address community problems and so that they can continue to provide the highest level of services and support to the people who live there. I will work with my colleagues in Congress to restore America’s place in the world and undo all the damage done by the Trump administration both at home and abroad.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Throughout my decade in public office, I have a proven record of accomplishment. When they endorsed me in my last race for Suffolk County Legislature, Newsday referred to me as “one of the most active and effective lawmakers” in Suffolk County. I helped lead the effort that led to the first sanitary code revisions in 30 years, which paved the way for the introduction of new, nitrogen-removing wastewater treatment systems, which are helping address the water quality crisis we face on Long Island. I worked with county, town and community stakeholders to address the problem of the use of pesticides in Accabonac Harbor, which resulted in a 77 percent reduction in pesticides. Time and time again, I have taken on tough tasks and gotten them done and I’m looking forward to continuing that when I get to Congress.
The best advice ever shared with me was:
Be true to yourself and never give up on what you believe in.
What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am asking for your support in the primary on June 23 because this district deserves to have a representative who will fight for them. I have a decade long record of doing just that. I have won five elections while none of my opponents have ever held elected office. I have the support of Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, Assemblyman Fred Thiele, and six of my colleagues on the Suffolk County Legislature, including Presiding Officer Rob Calarco. I have support from organized labor, including 1199 SEIU, IBEW Locals 25 and 1049, Local 1102 RWDSU, and Local 338 RWDSU/CSEA. I also have the support of three town supervisors, four village mayors and several town board members from across the district. I have the strongest profile to take on and beat Lee Zeldin on November 3.
This article originally appeared on the Southampton Patch
