Wind in the GOP's sails in Long Beach?

Daily Point

Republican challengers make Equinor a key issue

The Long Beach City Council’s recent opposition to the Equinor proposal to build an offshore wind farm off the coast of Long Beach was quickly derided by the Long Beach Republican Committee as a “flip-flop,” as ads featuring the beachy footwear began running on Facebook with the tagline “City Council continues to flip flop on Equinor.”

It was only the latest in what’s become a deeply political fight, as Long Beach heads toward a contentious election season. Two incumbent Democrats, Tina Posterli and Elizabeth Treston, and newcomer James Hodge, are being challenged by Republicans Brendan Finn, Chris Fiumara and Mike Reinhart. Meanwhile, with Nassau County Legis. Denise Ford not seeking reelection, the offshore wind issue is also becoming a factor in the county legislature race, with Republican Pat Mullaney running against Democrat Alexis Pace.

The Republican challengers have made Equinor a key campaign issue — and it’s a fight that’s stretched far beyond the shores of Long Beach. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito has voiced his own opposition to Equinor, in digital ads and even on the House floor.

“I rise today in solidarity with thousands of my neighbors in New York’s Fourth Congressional District who are united in opposition to a proposed large scale offshore energy project that if completed would drastically alter the landscape of several Nassau County communities,” D’Esposito said in a floor speech on July 14 — just a few days before the City Council wrote of its “firm opposition” in a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“Residents of these communities could play host to an environmental disaster,” added D’Esposito, who has called for a federal review of the project.

Long Beach has long been in the hands of Democrats. But this June’s Democratic primary showed there might be cracks even within the party. Incumbents Treston, Posterli and Karen McInnis ran as a team for the three available spots, all with the support of top Long Beach Democrats. But outsider candidate Hodge ended up being the top vote-getter in the primary, breaking up the incumbent triumvirate.

And now, observers say, the wind issue might be enough to widen those cracks, leaving space for the Republicans to swoop in.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

Pencil Point

The X factor

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Final Point

Thomas shakes up CD4

As State Sen. Kevin Thomas prepares to officially announce his candidacy for Congress Wednesday, he says he’s not focusing on fellow Democratic CD4 candidates Laura Gillen, who lost in 2022, or Sarah Hughes, the Olympic gold medal figure skater who is looking for a home in the district, or Patricia Maher, a Baldwin resident.

“I will let the other candidates speak for themselves,” Thomas told the Point. “I want to focus on MAGA Republicans and their politics, which are not letting national issues progress.”

And, Thomas said, he thinks he can win that battle against Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, noting that the congressional district is a combination of his old State Senate district and his present district after redistricting.

Thomas said his run for Congress brings him full circle, noting that in 2018, he originally filed to run for Congress in CD2 — against Rep. Pete King. Within a week, Thomas said, party chairman Jay Jacobs had suggested a State Senate run instead.

“He basically told me if I were to flip the State Senate blue, I would be able to do so much here in the state,” said Thomas, who beat longtime Republican incumbent Kemp Hannon in a surprising upset that year. “I took his advice and went forward and here I am now five years later, as the chair of consumer protection, assistant majority leader and the dean of the Long Island delegation.”

Thomas said he has not spoken to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, but he has spoken to Jeffries’ team. And he noted that he’s already been part of an election year where his seat mattered to flipping party control.

“Leader Jeffries’ [effort in] becoming speaker goes through Long Island, just like when we flipped the State Senate blue it went through Long Island,” Thomas said. “This is going to be another very important race and you need the right candidate to do this.”

Thomas’ entry into the race shakes up the landscape in CD4, where Gillen already had begun to shape a reelection campaign. Hempstead Village Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr., for instance, had previously endorsed Gillen.

Hobbs told The Point Monday that Gillen “has been very supportive” and that Thomas “has been a tremendous help to Hempstead.” As state senator, Thomas helped to bring millions of dollars in state funds for the Village of Hempstead for policing, sanitation, schools and more.

“Having a good relationship with both of them, I definitely wish both of them the best, and we’ll have to see how things go,” Hobbs said. “I definitely want to support someone who’s going to be able to deliver for Hempstead.”

Thomas, who said he would focus on national issues like gun safety, lives in CD3, now represented by Rep. George Santos. He said he chose to run in CD4 because he currently represents residents of the 4th District in the State Senate, and because it’s where he grew up. He’ll be announcing his candidacy from his parents’ home in Elmont.

But that’s not the only reason Thomas chose the 4th, rather than the 3rd, for his House run.

“They already have great candidates,” Thomas said of CD3, where his former colleague, Democrat Anna Kaplan, has announced a run. “There’s a saying, ‘Only the sick need a doctor.’”

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com