Zeldin, Goroff face off in tight race for NY 1st District congressional seat

NEW YORK - Dozens sported umbrellas in New York’s first district that stretches from Brookhaven to the East End of Long Island as they patiently waited to vote.

The race for the congressional seat is between U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin, a Republican seeking a fourth term, and Democratic challenger Nancy Goroff, a Stony Brook University scientist.

Among other key issues, the two are battling over health care and law enforcement.

The latest polls put Zeldin and Goroff in a dead heat.

Goroff says she entered the race because of frustration with Zeldin’s close ties to Trump.

“Our kids deserve to live in a world where the government is trying to make people’s lives better and policy decisions are based on facts and reality,” she said.

However, Zeldin says he’s running on his record and is willing to work with anyone to find common ground to get things done.

“Taxes, jobs, the economy, that’s bread and butter what I’ve been focused on the most but national security, defeating MS13, securing borders, taking care of military, veterans, police,” he said.

And when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic the two butt heads with the progress we’ve made.

“The Congressman has chosen to defend a president who has really been reckless and incompetent in this whole pandemic,” Goroff said.

“I wouldn’t expect my opponent to be here give an accurate accounting of the many different ways I was getting resources from the federal government because it doesn’t help her campaign,” said Zeldin.

There are a dozen early vote locations in Suffolk County for those looking to cast their ballot before Election Day on November 3.