By Patrick Donachie
The five Democratic candidates in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-Melville) gathered for a civil debate in Great Neck Tuesday on issues that touched the part of the district that lies in Queens.
The event, which was moderated by former Newsday columnist Larry Levy, brought former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, attorney Jonathan Clarke, former North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern together to discuss campaign financing, turmoil in the Middle East and procuring federal dollars for state projects.
The debate was sponsored by the Great Neck Democratic Club, which held a straw poll of club members in good standing at the conclusion of the event, asking which candidate won the debate. According to the official count of 62 total votes, Kaiman handily won the debate with 49 votes. Suozzi was in second place with six votes.
Clarke was the only candidate to express unfettered support for President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, noting that soft power must be better utilized in the region. Kaplan, who was forced to flee Iran as a child after the Iranian revolution, said the United States must be cautious.
“It is a regime not to be trusted, and it is a regime we should not give legitimacy to,” she said. “We need to keep on verifying.”
The debate was mostly cordial, barring some sparring between Stern and Suozzi. Stern questioned why Suozzi had refused to return a $11,000 donation he had received from Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump seven years ago. Suozzi responded that those types of attacks are “why people hate politics.”
Kaiman stressed caution concerning the tone of the back-and-forth between the candidates at the Great Neck House debate.
“I believe a lot of us need to be careful on how we criticize each other,” he said, pointing out that he was worried the fight in the general election campaign after the primary would be very difficult.
Clarke took several opportunities during the debate to decry what he alleged was the corrosive influence of big money in politics and said his outsider status was best suited to the times.
“I’m the only one who hasn’t held office,” he said. “And I think that’s a good thing.”
Levy asked the candidates to name an issue they could work on with Republicans, but said they should not chose easy topics like support for the Israeli government, proper medical care or assistance for first because they are non-controversial.
Stern suggested support for veterans as a common cause, noting that Suffolk County has the largest population of veterans in New York state. He also said he wanted to find Republicans who would work with him on Alzheimer’s treatment and prevention.
“I refuse to believe we cannot find Republicans we can work with to cure Alzheimer’s,” he said.
The candidates all expressed support for the state of Israel. Several candidates, including Suozzi, said peace between Israel and Palestine remained hard to envision for the moment.
“I believe in a two-state solution,” he said. “But there is no partner for peace.”
The Democratic primary will be held June 28, and the winner of the contest will go on to face a Republican challenger in the general election in November. Queens issues were barely mentioned, though Kaiman briefly spoke about co-op housing reform and airplane noise as issues that concern the entirety of the district.
The 3rd Congressional District extends from Whitestone to Kings Park in Long Island, and includes parts of the Queens communities of Bay Terrace, Bellerose Manor and Glen Oaks.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
