As voters ponder their ballots, there is one thing that is crystal clear, Congressman Thomas Suozzi should be re-elected to a third two-year term in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Suozzi is a statesman who has served us well in Washington D.C. In a political era that is coming to be defined by extremists pulling the major parties further apart, Republicans to the right and Democrats to the left, Congressman Suozzi has stood his ground. He is a moderate who, in only four years in the House, has been able to foster bipartisan cooperation in a Congress where that doesn’t come easy.
Mr. Suozzi has remained loyal to the ideals of the Democratic party from which his political career gives rise, yet he has shown an ability to work with Republicans to find common ground to get things done. That’s hard to find in Washington. To begin with, Mr. Suozzi’s background is noteworthy. Married with three children, he is a family man of faith. He is a certified public accountant and an attorney, who has worked for a federal judge and as a litigator for some of the country’s largest law firms. So he is smart, educated and informed.
In addition, before being elected to Congress, Mr. Suozzi was the mayor of Glen Cove and twice elected Nassau County Executive. He knows public office, leadership, government and politics, and the issues from the most grassroots level to the most global level. It is evident when you watch him engage with other local officials at the town, county and state levels. He knows what they are talking about first- hand, is fast to size up challenging situations, and can quickly turn the focus to finding solutions. Whether it’s disaster relief after a tropical storm or personal protective equipment (PPE) during a global pandemic, he can find the path forward.
And in Washington, Congressman Suozzi has used his background and used his local government experience to position himself to help Long Island forward no matter if Joe Biden or Donald Trump is president. Mr. Suozzi is a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, vice chairman of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, co-chairman of the Long Island Sound Caucus, serves on the Congressional Executive Commission on China and he has served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.
That breadth of congressional experience makes Rep. Suozzi well positioned to represent Long Island. Beyond all that, Rep. Suozzi is a wonderful person to interact with. He is engaging and of a temperament that makes him easy to talk to, to understand and to be understood by. In a few words, that says a lot. Tom Suozzi has been a good congressman for us here on Long Island. The Observer endorses his re-election and urges residents of the Third Congressional District, whether voting absentee, at early polling places, or in person on Election Day, to vote for Congressman Suozzi. It’s probably going to be one of the most important votes you cast this election season.