The race for assemblyman in District 19

The incumbent state assemblyman in District 19 is Garden City South resident Ed Ra, who is seeking his fourth term. Challenging him is West Hempstead resident Gary Port, a divorce lawyer and military veteran.

The 19th District encompasses parts of District 19 includes parts of West Hempstead, Franklin Square, Garden City, East Garden City, Carle Place, Mineola, Garden City Park, New Hyde Park, Williston Park, Glen Oaks and Glen Head.

Ed Ra

Incumbent — Republican

Lives in: Garden City South
Career: Assemblyman, attorney
Martial status: Married
Education: Law degree, St. John’s University

On the issues:
Assemblyman Ed Ra said he believes that the economy and taxes, education, the proposed third track and airplane noise are among District 19’s most critical issues. Ra said he believes government and residents need to work to support local businesses rather than adopt programs that help larger corporations or favored agencies. One of Ra’s approaches to this would be to promote small businesses through a program similar to Nassau County Council of Chambers of Commere’s “Shop Local” campaign.

“The businesses on our main streets are the ones that support our little leagues, Girl Scouts and other organizations in our communities,” Ra said. “We need to help them and promote them statewide.”

On education, Ra said he is moving forward with reforms to the Common Core curriculum, believing that the state must revise academic standards to ensure age and developmental appropriateness, while shifting away from a test-centric teacher evaluation system and pursuing one based on research and multiple measures to identify good instruction and learning. Regarding the third track, Ra said that he would not support funding for a such a track when there are so many immediate infrastructure needs, including public transportation systems, local roads and water treatment.

On airplane noise, Ra, who has been praised by local advocacy groups for his involvement in the noise issue, said he would continue to work with the Port Authority and federal representatives to provide relief for local communities.

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Gary Port
Challenger — Democrat

Age: 54
Lives in: West Hempstead
Career: Attorney in private practice; formerly with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted major crimes from 1990 to 1993; commissioned officer with the U.S. Army
Martial status: Married, four children
Education: Law degree, Brooklyn School of Law

On the issues:
Among District’s 19’s most important issues, Gary Port said he believes, are the third track, plane noise and flight paths, Nassau County’s economic growth, and the need for ethics reform at the state and county levels. Port said the governor is not being forthright on the issues surrounding the third track, and many questions, like its potential environmental impact and safety plan, are being left unanswered.

Port said that Ra has not taken a strong enough stance on plane noise, saying that he has “ceded this entirely to the Queens County assemblymen,” and that “we need a place at the table.”

Port said more needs to be done for small businesses, including a comprehensive economic plan that would attract and keep high-quality businesses here.
“Republicans continue to chase business out of the county,” Port said, and “Cuomo’s tax-free zones are illusory.” When the tax break is up, he said, the business leaves. He is also a strong advocate for ethics reform, saying there is a need for a strict, eight-year term limit on all legislators, adding that public financing for elections would cut down on corruption in the system.

Port is an advocate for expanding the voter-registration process and making it simpler to take part in, as well as moving elections to Saturday and Sundays so that all can participate, and making voting by mail easier. He added that an elected leader’s outside income must be strictly regulated.