Candidate Profile: Jackie Gordon For Congress

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY - New Yorkers will be hitting the polls on June 23 for the primary election to choose which representatives will be running will be on the ballot for the general election in November.

Among the local races, Long Islanders will be able to elect who will run for New York's second congressional district. The seat was occupied by longtime longtime U.S. Rep. Pete King, who announced in November he will not be seeking re-election this year.

The district covers Levittown, North Wantagh, Seaford, South Farmingdale and Massapequa. Suffolk County communities include Amityville, Copiague, Lindenhurst, Gilgo, West Babylon, Wyandanch, North Babylon, Babylon, Baywood, Brentwood, Brightwaters, Central Islip, Islip, Great River, Ocean Beach, Oakdale, West Sayville, Bohemia, West Islip and Ronkonkoma.

In anticipation of the election, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Jackie Gordon, 55, of Copiague is running for the democratic seat for U.S. Congress.

Patricia Maher will also be running for the democratic ballot while Mike LiPetri and Andrew Garbarino are both running for the republican ballot.

Gordon received her B.S. in Health Education from Hunter College, her M.S. in Counselor Education from Queens College and her Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership from Queens College.

She was previously an Army Reservist (retired at rank of Lieutenant Colonel) between 1984 and 2014 as well as an educator in New York Public Schools between 1986 and 2020. She was also a Babylon Town Councilwoman between 2007 and 2020.

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Gordon below:

Patch: Why are you seeking elective office?

Gordon: I’m running for Congress for the same reason I joined the Army when I was 20 years old. I saw a commercial that said, “we do more before 9am than most people do all day,” and I was sold. That’s how I’ve lived my entire life— working hard and doing more for my community. The fact is that all of us on Long Island are doing more every day to get by, and we need a change; Washington needs to serve the people. I’m running for Congress to make health care and prescription drugs more affordable so no one has to worry about their pocketbook when they are sick. To rebuild our economy by supporting small businesses and expanding access to career and technical training. And to take care of our veterans who have served our country to protect our freedoms.

P: The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

G: The single most pressing issue facing our community is access to health care. Even as we face the COVID-19 pandemic, politicians in Washington are attempting to take away health care from thousands of Long Islanders with preexisting conditions. As a Member of Congress, I will fight to preserve protections for Long Islanders with preexisting conditions, expand access to affordable health care plans, and bring down the cost of prescription drugs. We also have to work to build the medical supply chain we need to be prepared for the next pandemic.

P: What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

G: I am unique among the candidates in this race because I have dedicated my life to service at every level, and I have demonstrated my commitment to putting country over party. As a combat veteran, public school educator, local elected official, single mom, and immigrant, I have unique experiences through which I understand the challenges facing working families on Long Island.

P: Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

G: I was an educator in New York public schools for 32 years, most recently as a guidance counselor at Wilson Technological Center in Farmingdale. I understand that we have to build educational and economic opportunity for every young person on Long Island. That includes expanding career and technical training in sectors like biotech and manufacturing, and reining in the costs of college so kids aren’t graduating with tens of thousands in debt.

We also need to take care of our veterans here on Long Island. I served in the Army Reserve for 29 years. As a member of Congress, I will push to strengthen education, career training, health, and housing assistance for veterans, work with veterans and their families to help them access existing resources, and ensure quality health care through the VA.

P: What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

G: I spent 29 years as an officer in the Army Reserve, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I deployed four times in service to our country, the last time as Commander of the 310th Military Police Battalion in Afghanistan in 2012. I spent three decades working in New York public schools, mentoring and advising thousands of young people on Long Island and guiding them into productive lives. And I served on the Babylon Town Council for 13 years, where I supported economic development programs and directed resources to veterans and military families as Chair of the Veterans Advisory Council. Just as I have served in these roles, I will continue to serve my community in Congress.

P: What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

G: There are many critical issues at stake in this election: reproductive choice, gun safety reform, combatting climate change, and equality for all Long Islanders. I will always be a champion for these issues, and I am proud to have the support of so many working families on Long Island who share my vision for a brighter future.