No endorsement in the New York State Senate 8th District

For the second consecutive election cycle, voters in the 8th District face an unfortunate choice. They must decide between a deeply problematic candidate and one who is not actively campaigning.

The former is incumbent Alexis Weik, a 52-year-old Republican from Sayville. The latter is Democrat Francis R. Dolan, whose name is on the ballot but who is not really running.

Weik did some modest work on the environment in her second term, helping villages learn what funding was available via the state environmental bond act, and she is working to restore wetlands, which are critical natural storm barriers.

But her environmental advocacy is overshadowed by her divisive stances on critical issues.

When it comes to public health, elected officials bear great responsibility. Weik’s views on vaccinations are very troubling. She rejects what she calls “mandatory medicine,” opposing any state legal requirements that children be vaccinated to attend school — though such requirements have kept schoolchildren safe for decades. She has authored a dangerous bill which would remove any enforcement power from schools and instead allow parents and doctors to make their own decisions about whether to vaccinate kids. Her statements now and in the past have spread harmful misinformation and misrepresented overwhelming scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and other immunizations. Weik’s dismissal of vaccines poses a risk to the community.

Weik’s response to the state Department of Education’s requirement that public schools phase out their use of Native American mascots was similarly disappointing. Weik noted she had planned to spotlight her environmental priorities this term, but switched to the mascot ban because her goal is to “follow my district,” an unfortunate lack of leadership. She said she tried to bring together local Native Americans and school superintendents to restart a conversation about eliminating mascots tied to the Native American community. She expressed her disappointment in the outcome of the meeting, but it is apparent that instead of creating a safe space for meaningful dialogue, the meeting she organized failed to acknowledge long-standing concerns of the Native American community about the hurt they felt from the use of such mascots.

Asked what legislation she’d like to work on in a third term, Weik instead criticized “harmful” legislation of the past and suggested the State Senate majority is “following this pro-criminal kind of agenda.” Weik said she wants “better policies” — but was not more specific.

Given the district’s Republican lean and, unfortunately, no active Democratic opposition, Weik’s stances likely will not stop her from returning to Albany.

Voters deserve a real choice in this race. Newsday’s editorial board makes no endorsement.