Perry Gershon Wins 1st Congressional District Primary

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A heated primary race unfolded Tuesday, with five Democratic candidates facing off in a nail biter race for the chance to unseat Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican, who is running for his second term representing the 1st Congressional District — and businessman Perry Gershon emerged the winner, with unofficial results indicating that, with all districts in, he received 7,226, or 35.51 percent of the votes. He was followed by former Suffolk County Legis. Kate Browning, who garnered 6,159, or 30.26 percent.

David Pechefsky received 2,425, or 11.92 percent; Vivian Viloria-Fisher, 3,314 or 16.28 percent, and Elaine DiMasi, 1,207 or 5.93 percent.

There were 20 write-in votes.

After taking the race, Gershon issued a statement: “Tonight’s victory shows Suffolk County is energized and ready for change. A year ago, I decided to run for Congress because I was fed up with career politicians, like our own congressman, Lee Zeldin, who put special interests and partisan politics ahead of people," he said.

“It’s outrageous that Congressman Zeldin and Congressional Republicans are leading the effort to take away health care from millions of Americans, putting the interests of the corporate gun lobby ahead of the safety of our children, denying the existence of climate change — or worse, supporting policies that accelerate it, and raising taxes on the middle class while giving tax breaks to special interests and adding trillions to our national debt," he added.

Gershon said that he's not a typical politician.

"But if we keep sending the same old career politicians to Washington, nothing is going to change. It’s time for a new approach — someone who knows what it’s like to meet a payroll and balance a budget."

Suffolk County, he added, needs a strong voice to create more good paying Long Island jobs, protect Planned Parenthood and women’s health care rights, invest in its infrastructure, stand up for those with preexisting conditions and work to make health care and prescription drugs affordable, take on student debt and put higher education within reach for everyone, and ensure that Medicare and Social Security are protected for the seniors who have paid into it and earned it for a lifetime of work.

“Our grassroots campaign is just getting started — tomorrow the hard work begins," Gershon said. "It’s going to take everyone coming together to defeat Congressman Zeldin in November to put a check on President Trump’s reckless and divisive agenda that’s hurting Long Islanders.”

Zeldin for Congess fired back after the primary results: "Congrats to Park Avenue Perry on buying his way into a general election. It's amazing that the Democratic Party was so desperate that they nominated a liberal Manhattan Democrat who has never even voted here in a November election for Congress," a release said. "After a primary where he continuously preached about his desire to make Nancy Pelosi the next Speaker of the House, made the disgusting comparison of President Trump’s rallies to Hitler rallies, pathologically lied about Congressman Zeldin’s policy positions, defended high taxes, and took many other out of touch, far left positions, Park Avenue Perry proved how unrepresentative to us he would be as a representative."

On his campaign page, businessman Perry Gershon, 56, who reportedly ran a well-funded campaign, said he was "fed up. Lee Zeldin, Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are leading the effort to take away health care for millions of Americans, putting special interests and personal profit first and fighting against the interests of the people of Long Island. It's time Long Island had a strong voice to fight for high-paying jobs, affordable health care, high-quality education and clean air and water," he said.

Gershon, who has a home in East Hampton, sited his campaign headquarters in East Setauket.

Gershon thanked his volunteers. "Now is a more important time than ever for everyone's voice to be heard," he said.

On Tuesday, he posted a photo of himself and his family voting in East Hampton. "Extra treat was that it was Marshall's first vote, and he got to cast a ballot for his dad!" he wrote.

Zeldin was endorsed by the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties, according to the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

Throwing their hats into the proverbial ring on Tuesday were former Suffolk County Legislator Kate Browning, who said as a legislator, she "fought for Suffolk County's working families. She successfully controlled spending and held the line on taxes, cracked down on illegal housing and made protecting our precious environment a focus."

Former Suffolk County Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher took the stance of "transforming progressive ideals into sound policies for the future of Long Island and the nation." She says she was combining progressive ideals with the experience to govern, and the legislative experience necessary to take action. As a Suffolk County legislator, Vivian Viloria-Fisher has translated her commitment to progressive values into real results."

Elaine DiMasi served for 21 years as a National Laboratory Scientist on Long Island. "Time after time I've seen how science and imagination connect us — and dare us to dream of what's possible. I believe if we harness that spirit, together we can be a force for good in the next great chapter of New York's first congressional district and our nation," she said.

David Pechefsky was a longtime staffer for the New York City Council, working on issues "ranging from protecting children from lead poisoning to promoting green buildings," his campaign page said. He also, he said, helped over 2,000 units of senior housing get built and helped secure millions of dollars for youth, health, senior, and housing programs.

As the primary results were being tallied, Zeldin posted on his Facebook page: "I’m a fighter; always have been, always will be, and that is nothing I will ever apologize for. I believe we live in the greatest nation on earth, with the greatest military, veterans, and law enforcement, and that is nothing any of us should ever apologize for. Together we’ve moved mountains, to build America, to secure America, and protect the freedoms and liberties our nation were founded upon. It is worth living for and it is worth dying for. People who believe in opposing, obstructing, and resisting everything and anything want to silence your voice in NY-1 and take away your voice in Washington. Filled with hate and intolerance, they believe America would be a better place with Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the House again...with Maxine Waters as the Chair of the House Financial Services Committee leading cries for impeachment of the President. I believe strongly that is not how to move America in the right direction. What the out of touch opposition does not have is YOU! Thank you for joining my side in the past and stepping up yet again in 2018 to fight for our values and our country," he wrote.

"Volunteer. Make a contribution and share this post as a next step to protect everything we’ve fought so hard for, everything our opposition wants to destroy, and all of the good work still ahead to make our nation greater than it has ever been in the past. Together we’ll celebrate side by side in November. Losing is not an option. It’s not an option for your families, for our community, and for the future of our Republic. On to victory!" Zeldin said.

Zeldin, meanwhile, will be joined by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, former deputy assistant to President Donald Trump, and former Congressman Chris Gibson on Thursday, June 28 at his campaign kickoff rally at the Smithtown Elks Lodge in Smithtown.

Patch file photo.