LI Democrats name 3 new State Senate candidates after new maps drawn

Long Island Democrats unveiled three new State Senate candidates Monday, adjusting their ticket after the court-ordered redrawing of district boundaries.

Ken Moore, 60, the village mayor of Bellerose, will run in the 9th Senate District, which covers the southwest corner of Nassau County. It’s an open race, as incumbent Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) isn’t running for reelection.

John Alberts, 37, of North Babylon will take on Sen. Alexis Weik (R-Sayville) in the heavily Republican 8th Senate District.

Susan Berland, 61, a former Suffolk County legislator from Dix Hills, will run against Sen. Mario Mattera (R-St. James) in the 2nd Senate District.

All three are new candidates, chosen by Democratic leaders after the lengthy court battle over redistricting in New York resulted in a neutral “special master” redrawing Senate districts last month.

After the new maps came out, several Democrats found themselves in different districts than where they thought they would be and decided not to run. Monday was the deadline for naming replacements.

Sen. Jim Gaughran (D-Northport) saw his home land in the 2nd District, pitting him against Mattera, and decided not to run for reelection.

In his place, Democrats are backing Berland, who has served on the county board as well as the Huntington town board. The district runs along the North Shore in Suffolk and is considered to favor Republicans.

“She’s been an outstanding public servant who is ready to tackle issues like guns and a woman’s reproductive rights,” Suffolk Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer told Newsday. “She will be a strong advocate for her district.”

Alberts is replacing Michael Yosua of Babylon in the 8th District, which runs along the South Shore from Bayport to parts of Massapequa. About 60% of the residents voted Republican in the 2020 presidential election, making it the heaviest GOP Senate district on the Island. Alberts, a county board of elections employee, ran for Senate in 2014 and 2016.

Moore is replacing Michael Pernick, a lawyer, who originally was going to be the Democratic candidate in the 9th Senate District running to replace Kaminsky. But Pernick dropped out after the new maps shifted his community, Rockville Centre, in the 6th District.

Moore will face Republican Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, who previously unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly. The 9th District slightly favors Democrats.

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy