Two influential labor groups representing Nassau County police officers and New York City firefighters have endorsed Rep. Tom Suozzi’s re-election campaign, as the Long Island Democrat braces for a costly rematch against Republican Mike LiPetri.
The Nassau County Police Benevolent Association and the NYC Uniformed Firefighters Association both announced their support for Suozzi, who represents the Third House District covering parts of Nassau County, Queens and Suffolk County. Suozzi narrowly beat LiPetri by just 3 percentage points in 2024, and the two are facing off again this cycle.
Nassau County PBA president Tom Shevlin said the union’s backing reflects Suozzi’s record on law enforcement issues.
“We supported him two years ago and he has been working hard to work with both sides of the aisle. He backs the blue and states all the time on the Congress floor that he absolutely rejects the defunding the police movement,” Shevlin said.
Shevlin added that the union’s endorsement process isn’t driven by party loyalty: “We support candidates who are willing to support us even if that means going against their own party.”
The endorsement comes as Republicans work to portray Suozzi as out of step with Nassau and Suffolk voters on crime and aligned with the left wing of his party. Suozzi pushed back on that framing.
“I am proud to once again have the endorsement of the Nassau County PBA. I have spent my career supporting law enforcement and making sure our officers have the resources they need to keep us safe,” Suozzi told the New York Post. “As my opponent attacks and distorts my record, the men and women who protect us day and night know where I stand, and I am honored to have their trust and support.”
Uniformed Firefighters Association president Bobby Eustace also praised Suozzi, calling him a congressman who works across party lines.
“In his over thirty years as a public servant, Tom Suozzi has continued to demonstrate that he sees beyond party lines and works across the aisle to do what’s best for his constituents,” Eustace said.
GOP Super PAC spending big against Suozzi
The union endorsements land as a Trump-aligned super PAC ramps up spending to help LiPetri, a former state assemblyman, unseat Suozzi. The No Going Back PAC has committed roughly $8 million to the race, including $5.7 million in television ads and another $2 million in mailers criticizing Suozzi’s record.
Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive, is in his second stint representing the district in Congress. He gave up the seat in 2022 to run for governor, losing the Democratic primary to incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul. He returned to Congress after winning a February 2024 special election to replace former Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House, and then held off LiPetri by a narrow margin in the November 2024 general election.
The race could also be shaped by what happens at the top of the ticket this year. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate for governor, is expected to perform strongly in Nassau and Suffolk against Hochul, a dynamic that could give LiPetri a boost in his second attempt to unseat Suozzi.
