Joshua Lafazan seeks Democratic nomination for Suozzi Congress seat

Nassau County Legis. Joshua Lafazan said Monday he would seek the Democratic nomination in the Third congressional district after incumbent Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) launched a bid for governor of New York.

Lafazan, a Woodbury Democrat, said if elected, he would seek to lower health care costs and reduce substance abuse and gun violence.

“Living in this community for my entire life, it’s allowed me to connect every day with people and understand the issues that are important to them,” Lafazan told Newsday.

“It allowed me to serve on a school board, it allowed me to serve on the Legislature, and I’ll tell you it’s time to bring a fresh voice to represent a new generation in Washington.”

Lafazan, 27, first entered public office in 2012 when, as an 18-year-old senior at Syosset High School, he won a seat on the nationally-ranked district’s school board.

He was elected to the county legislature in 2017 as an independent.

Lafazan has caucused Democrats, and on Dec. 1 switched his party registration to Democrat, according to the Nassau County Board of Elections.

Suozzi faces an unsettled landscape in his primary campaign against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Last week, state Attorney General Letitia James, whom many considered Hochul’s most formidable challenger, announced she was dropping her gubernatorial campaign.

Suozzi, like Hochul a moderate, also is competing against New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary race.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, of Shirley, is among the candidates in the Republican primary for governor.

Community organizer Melanie D’Arrigo, of Port Washington, who lost a Democratic congressional primary to Suozzi in 2020, has announced she will seek the Third District nomination again next year.

Democratic National Committeeman Robert Zimmerman, a public relations executive from Great Neck, told Newsday Monday he was “seriously considering” the Third District primary race.

“There’s a lot to be determined,” including the new boundaries of the district, “and whether they’ll be an incumbent Democrat in the district,” Zimmerman said.

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