The Point: Battle for Brookhaven
Suffolk Legis. Bridget Fleming is a Democratic primary candidate for the 1st Congressional District. Credit: James Escher
The Town of Brookhaven often plays a big bellwether role in races for the 1st Congressional District, at least in its current iteration. In both a Democratic primary and a general election, the town is home to some 65% of the district’s active enrollment, according to December stats.
So it's no surprise CD1 Democratic hopefuls are eager to boast about their Brookhaven inroads. Suffolk County Legis. Bridget Fleming is doing just that this week by unveiling endorsements from a list of 21 current members and leaders from the Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee, including former chair Lillian Clayman and multiple members from the legislative district of Fleming’s colleague and primary opponent, Kara Hahn.
Fleming campaign manager Seth Cohen argues that endorsements like this are indicative of the "broader momentum of the campaign," and that the support from "seasoned, active members of the Democratic committee" would translate to people knocking on doors, making phone calls, and talking to friends in a crucial area of the district.
All of the above, Cohen told The Point, would be helpful fodder when making the case to potential donors — and fundraising is a big focus at this stage in the cycle.
Hahn’s campaign says it has its own Brookhaven endorsers, including town Councilman Jonathan Kornreich, Assemb. Steven Englebright, and Vivian M. Viloria-Fisher, who ran in the primary for CD1 in 2018, when the candidate who won Brookhaven, Perry Gershon, went on to win the primary.
Hahn also has backing from Nancy Goroff, who emerged victorious in the crowded 2020 CD1 primary, in which Goroff also bested her opponents in Brookhaven — including nearly doubling the town total of Fleming that time around.
Mark Chiusano is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
