Southampton Officials Endorse Fleming
Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and Councilman John Bouvier have endorsed Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming’s candidacy for the Democratic Party’s nomination to challenge Representative Lee Zeldin in New York’s First Congressional District.
Ms. Fleming served on the Southampton Town Board from 2010 until her 2015 election to the County Legislature, the same year Mr. Schneiderman and Mr. Bouvier were elected to their present positions.
In endorsing her candidacy, Mr. Schneiderman and Mr. Bouvier joined elected officials including Representative Kathleen Rice of Nassau County, Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., County Legislator Al Krupski of the North Fork, East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc and former Supervisor Larry Cantwell, and Town Councilwomen Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and Sylvia Overby. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 25 has also endorsed her.
“As a board member she fought for a cleaner environment, increased access to health care, and a more affordable way of life,” Mr. Schneiderman said in a statement issued by Ms. Fleming’s campaign. “We need someone who is going to fight back against national policy that hampers us locally, and Bridget’s been doing that her entire career.”
Gershon Picks Up Union Backing
The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen Local 56 and the New York State Public Employees Federation have endorsed Perry Gershon’s campaign for the same nomination to challenge Mr. Zeldin. The labor organizations represent essential workers on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic, including nurses, public sector employees, and Long Island Rail Road employees.
“Long Island needs a member of Congress who will be a strong voice for workers, especially those essential workers like our members who literally make the trains run on time,” Chris Natale, general chairman of Local 56, said in a statement from Mr. Gershon’s campaign.
“We know that Perry appreciates and values the work performed by public employees on Long Island,” Wayne Spence, the president of the Public Employees Federation, said in the same statement. “He also understands the needs of working men and women and their families and supports the programs and services that address these needs.”
Mr. Gershon, an East Hampton resident, lost to Mr. Zeldin by four percentage points in the 2018 election.