Herald Endorsements

Vote David McDonough in the 14th Assembly District

Posted

The Herald endorses David McDonough, a Republican from North Merrick, for the 14th Assembly District seat. McDonough was first elected to the State Assembly in a special election in 2002 and was re-elected to his eighth term in 2014.

His sincerity and dedication to his constituents are clear. He is community-oriented, actively playing a role in civic affairs for decades. In the past, he has served as president of the Nassau County Council of Chambers of Commerce, representing 50 chambers and more than 6,000 small businesses. He was even a founding member of the Bellmore-Merrick Community Wellness Council, an organization that no longer exists, but had for years fought substance abuse among young people.

McDonough was chairman of the Assembly Minority Task Force on Public Safety, and has experience working with various agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Secret Service, police and law enforcement, and volunteer fire departments.

No doubt, the assemblyman has been a strong voice for the people on the issues that matter most to the South Shore, including ethics reform, education and infrastructure improvement.

We liked McDonough’s opponent, Michael Reid, of Merrick. Most everyone does. Reid has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York and as an emergency medical technician educator for Northwell Health. In 1986, he was honored as the New York State Firefighter of the Year. He is clearly a good person with a vast array of experiences outside of the political arena.

We, though, saw no reason to unseat a popular, effective incumbent. Elect David McDonough on Nov. 8.