Candidate Profile: Patricia Maher 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.

Patricia Maher, 50, of Amityville is running for the democratic seat for U.S. Congress.

Jackie Gordon will also be running for the democratic ballot while Mike LiPetri and Andrew R
Garbarino are both running for the republican ballot.

Maher received her Juris Doctorate from the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Touro Law School in Central
Islip, her Master's Degree from Hofstra University and her Bachelor's in Political Science from
the University of South Carolina. In addition, she is presently pursuing an LL.M in healthcare at
Hofstra University Law School.

She has worked as an Advertising and Branding Executive for the past eight years and previously worked as a not-for-profit Director of Development and Community Education for a healthcare facility serving both Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Maher has also done an externship in the criminal law division of the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District while attending Touro Law. While at Touro Law School, she worked in the Bankruptcy and Foreclosure Clinic, helping both Nassau and Suffolk County residents save their homes and credit.

She is also an elected democratic committeewoman.

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

Patch: Why are you seeking elective office?

Maher: I have been serving my community for years in different capacities, such as President of
a local civic organization and serving as a local democratic committeewoman on Long Island. I
have been a leader in the movement to help Nurses that served in WW II as Cadet Nurses receive
Veteran's benefits. Washington D.C has ignored these nurses and I want to see them and their
families receive the benefits that they deserve. I am running for office for all of these reasons,
but also to change the system that exists in Washington D.C. The system in Washington D.C. is
alive and well and flourishes with money and power. I am not a career elected official and my
only allegiance is to voters, who like everyone else just want a fair deal given to them. They
deserve someone who is not tainted by the party system. The party system favors elected
officials, over people. I am a fresh face that the district can rely on to represent them.

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

M: The health and financial crisis that the Covid-19 Pandemic has created are the two most
pressing issues facing the nation/state/community. Pursuing an LL.M in Healthcare and has
given me a greater understanding of the needs of the industry. I am Communicating with
healthcare workers and first-responders so we can work together to be prepared in future months
and years. I will make sure that all healthcare providers have proper Personal Protection
Equipment to last for at least 90 days and that all essential workers, including grocery store clerks, pharmacy workers, UPS drivers, restaurant workers are eligible for Hazard Pay. I think working with the Governor, State and local elected Officials is essential to making sure that New York is prepared for any future health pandemics.

The financial crisis that is facing the 2nd Congressional District, which includes both Nassau and Suffolk Counties is one that New York has never faced on such a level. I want to work with both County Executive Laura Curran and County Executive Steven Bellone to bring financial relief to the Counties. The next Federal Recovery Bill must provide direct financial relief to both Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Taxpayers deserve better from Washington D.C. and cannot foot the bill for a crisis that they had no control over, but have been burdened by being out of work.

Small business on Long Island has been shut-down and shut-out while big box stores have remained opened. Some of these shops and restaurants have been in families for generations and may never reopen. The Paycheck Protection Act that was intended to help these businesses was overshadowed by large corporations that were able to get funding while small businesses throughout the counties were denied access to these programs. I have met with small business owners and heard their plea for help. They want desperately to save their business and provide them the relief they deserve. Small business is the back-bone of Long Island and I will help them recover by fighting for them in Washington.

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

M: I, Patricia Maher, am not a career elected official, like my Democratic opponent. My only allegiance is to the voters. This is an open seat and the residents of the 2nd Congressional
District deserve a representative that has not been tainted by party politics.

P: If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the
community (or district or constituency)?

M: All of the candidates, including myself, Patricia Maher, are challengers to be voted on June
23, 2020. This is an open seat, currently held by Representative Peter King. My opponent in the Democratic Primary has sent out literature referring to the primary, but not being clear to the voters that there are two primaries, one Democratic and one Republican. I am in the Democratic Primary against Jackie Gordon. I, Patricia Maher, promise that I will never be anything but honest and straight to my constituents.

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

M: The district spans from Suffolk County towns starting in Bayport and Sayville, Brentwood,
Amityville, Deer Park, to Nassau County, Massapequa, Levittown, Seaford, and Wantagh. There
are over 290,000 residents in the district. Healthcare is a major concern of these residents, many
of whom chose daily between prescription medication and daily living expenses. Pursuing a
Master's in Law in Healthcare, I understand that residents with pre-existing conditions are prey
for healthcare companies. I want to make sure that everyone in this district has access to
healthcare, regardless of income or health.

I am the daughter of a WWII Navy Cadet Nurse and niece to one of the Lt. Commanders of the
USS Intrepid, I understand the needs of Veterans and was brought up attending every Memorial
Day parade. I have been involved for the past 12 years in fighting for nurses that did not receive
veterans benefits during WW II under the Nurse Cadet Equity Act. My mother was one of those
nurses. Congress has still refused to provide health or monetary benefit to these nurses and their
families.

Education is extremely high on my list of priorities. I want to make sure that children are getting
a quality education during the COVID-19 Pandemic. As the former Director of Development and
Community Education for a healthcare organization, I supervised the community education
department. I, Patricia Maher will make it a priority to make sure teachers and students continue
to learn in a safe, but optimal environment.

I have met with members of small business and understand the devastation that the COVID-19
pandemic has had on their life. Many are businesses that they have built from ground up and they
have served their communities during a big box store revolution. Small business is the backbone and life of Long Island and I want to help them recover financially. I am saddened that some will never recover. But, I, Patricia Maher, promise to make small business a priority in getting them funding and helping with additional finances necessary. Unfortunately, the Paycheck Protection Act that was supposed to help small business, did the opposite, it helped large corporations. Most small businesses were shut out. I want to see Main Street survive and flourish once again.

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

M: I, Patricia Maher have been the Democratic Nominee in 2014 for this office. I have been
President of a local Civic Association, held many community forums, worked in the Bankruptcy
and Foreclosure clinics in Central Islip, helping residents save their homes that spanned two
counties, to include servicing residents of Central Islip, Brentwood, Hauppauge, Sayville,
Bayport, Deer Park, Lindenhurst, Amityville, Massapequa, Seaford, Levittown, Farmingdale and
Wantagh. I served as an extern in the United States Attorney Office, Criminal Law Division and
I was a Director of Development and Community Education for a not-for-profit healthcare
agency that services both Nassau and Suffolk Counties focusing on seizure disorders. I am also a
former member of the Government Affairs Committee for the Arthritis Foundation of Long
Island, Founder and Member of the Long Island Housing Forums, a proud former Union
Member - CSEA Local 830.

P: The best advice ever shared with me was:

M: This too shall pass and It will all come out in the wash.

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

M: I am not a career elected official. I am a registered Democrat in a Democratic Primary
against Jackie Gordon. I am not the status quo candidate. Now more than ever, we need real
people, not career politicians to represent us in Washington D.C. My law background combined with my healthcare experience makes me very well qualified to represent the voters of the 2nd C.D. The system in Washington D.C. is alive and well. It will flourish until we stand together and vote it out! I ask for your vote by either absentee ballot, during the early voting process starting June 13-21, 2020 or on Democratic Primary Day, June 23, 2020.