LI Herald - Seaford's Peter King Faces Pair for House Seat

News Article

By Andrew Hackmack

Seaford's longtime congressman, Peter King, is looking to return to Washington next year, seeking his 12th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Republican will face two challengers on the Nov. 4 ballot. Patricia Maher is running on the Democratic ticket, and William Stevenson is on the Green Party line.

This will be King's second campaign for the seat in New York's 2nd Congressional District. He previously represented the 3rd District, but was moved following redistricting in 2012, when Long Island lost a representative. His redrawn district now begins in Seaford and stretches east along the South Shore.

King, 70, said that in the two previous geographical configurations of his district, he represented middle- and upper-class areas. Now he has some lower-income communities. "It's almost like two separate worlds as far as the issues," he said.

There are several issues King wants to address if he is re-elected, but one tops his list. As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, he wants to ensure that the U.S. is prepared for any terrorism threats. Funding for training and equipment for police departments is crucial, he explained.

Maher, 48, who unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Nassau County Legislature in 2011, is a marketing and branding executive and a licensed real estate agent who has also worked in the nonprofit sector, educating the public about seizure disorders. As a member of the National Professional Women's Association, she has long focused on workplace equality.

"I have always been aware of pay disparities that affect women and others," she said. "I was shocked and dismayed when my opponent voted against the Fair Pay Equity Act in 2009. I wondered why [King] wanted to be a member of Congress, since he didn't think that half of his constituents should receive fair pay."

Maher noted that women account for only 13 percent of Congress, a number she would like to see increase. The issues that are most important to her in this election, she said, are the economy and jobs. Residents of the district, she said, are worried about saving for retirement.

"I believe I have solutions to help," she said. "I strongly support expanding Social Security to meet the needs of today's seniors and for future generations. Raising the minimum wage would lift millions of Americans, including thousands of Long Islanders, out of poverty and off public assistance."

Last Saturday, Maher held a press conference in Lindenhurst, calling for Hurricane Sandy relief for residents still waiting for their checks.

King said that his work in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy was one of the best chapters of his career. He recalled standing up to leaders of his own party to get relief, ultimately winning New York and New Jersey $61 billion. "I basically went to the House floor and fought," he said, adding that there still is work to do to get money into more people's hands.

While he sees himself as a strong Republican, King said he has an ability to work with representatives on both sides of the aisle, and will buck his own party when necessary. Gridlock in Washington does no good, he added.

A resident of Seaford for 43 years, King said he understands the concerns of people who have seen costs rise while their incomes remain flat. The federal government must do more to help guide the country out of a lingering recession, he said, including more middle-income tax relief. "They're concerned about not being able to keep with costs, not being able to keep their homes," he said of his constituents.

Maher said she would like to see tax breaks for people with income below $150,000, and would cut corporate taxes to make the economy more competitive. "Businesses are finding ways to move their headquarters out of the country to avoid high taxation," she said.

Stevenson, 36, who is originally from Albany and now lives in Amityville, could not be reached for comment as of press time. He ran for a seat on the Suffolk County Legislature last year, getting about 10 percent of the vote in the 15th District.

"I have a proven record," said King, who has been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2016. "I've gotten the job done. I think I understand the problems of everyday people."

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.

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