Suffolk County Legislator Announces Run Against Peter King

DuWayne Gregory, the presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, announced Tuesday morning that he would be running against incumbent Peter King to represent New York's 2nd Congressional District.

The challenge won't be an easy one. King, a Republican, has represented the district since 1993, and is well-known both locally and nationally. But it is exactly King's longevity in Congress that Gregory says makes him out of touch with his district.

"Peter King has not been a check on the Trump administration's worst impulses, and is out of touch with Long Island values," Gregory said in his campaign announcement. "We need a Congress member who can deliver for Long Island's working families, not a Washington politician who pays Long Islanders lip service, but has not delivered."

Gregory went up against King in 2016 and was defeated handily by the incumbent, getting only 37.9 percent of the vote to King's 62.1 percent. But Gregory believes that, with the Trump administration in charge, the winds are shifting and the district may flip.

"My opponent has been in Washington a long time, but we can't keep sending the same guys to Congress and expecting different results," said Gregory. "I know that I can make a difference for Long Island and I know that I can win the important fights in Washington, D.C."

The 2nd Congressional District is split between Nassau and Suffolk counties. It includes Massapequa, Amityville, Farmingdale, Seaford, Deer Park, Islip and Ronkonkoma, as well as portions of Bethpage, Dix Hills, Hauppauge, Patchogue and Wantagh.

Photo: DuWayne Gregory/Facebook