Rage Against the Machine

West Hempstead, NY - Retired Lt. Col. (U.S. Army) Gary Port, who is running against Assembly member Ed Ra in the 19th District is upset at the Nassau Republicans for engaging in machine politics.

“For decades now, the local GOP has used their power to manipulate the system in their favor. They give jobs to their friends and family, instead of hiring people who are actually qualified. They run the county and town governments irresponsibly. They’ve created the biggest political machine since the Daley’s in Chicago. And I hate to say it, but Ed’s Exhibit A.”

Joe Ra, Ed’s father was until recently the attorney for the Town of Hempstead. Ed’s first job out of law school was to work for his Father, the Hempstead Town Attorney. Colonel Port’s first job out of law school, by contrast, was as an officer in the U.S. Army. Colonel Port points out that Ed Ra would not be in the Assembly if it wasn’t for his father.

“The only reason Ed was nominated in the first place is that his dad was the town attorney. Joe’s responsible for legal matters in the largest town government in America, a government that represents nearly 800,000 people. He should be hiring the best lawyers on the island to work for him and for the people. Instead, he hired his son straight out of law school. Ed had no legal experience, and his dad got him a nice, cushy job at the taxpayer’s expense. Then, when the Republicans needed a candidate for the Assembly, they nominated Ed, solely because of patronage and privilege.”

Port contrasts Ra’s campaign with his own. He is a veteran running a grassroots campaign and has no family members in local government. His son, Sam is a captain in the Army Reserve, and daughter, Dr. Sara Port is doing a post-doctoral program with NASA. Port believes that Long Islanders should be represented by a regular guy like him and not a career politician. He says that this is why he ran in the first place.

“I’m not doing this because I need to. I’m doing this because I’m worried about the community. Thousands of people all across the district are struggling. They’re worried about employment. They’re worried about their cost of living. Their kids are about to enter an uncertain world, and they can’t be in school because of this pandemic. I know the feeling - I’m a dad of five myself.

“It’s times like these when we need ordinary folks in government - proud, hardworking Americans who know the struggle and represent those who know the struggle. But that’s not what we have right now. Our Assembly member - the guy who represents me, the guy who represents you - hasn’t worked an honest day in his life. He’s in it for the machine, and he’s in it for the money.”

Port is a veteran, a small business owner, a proud public school parent, and a resident of West Hempstead. The 19th District covers a significant section of Nassau County, including Mineola, New Hyde Park, Garden City, Carle Place, Brookville, Franklin Square, and West Hempstead.

You can follow Gary on Twitter.com/GaryPort19, like him on Facebook.com/GaryBPort,

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