While the New York media has picked up the story that New York State Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli was elected to be the new chairman of the Nassau County Democratic Party, rather than fellow contender former Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor and unsuccessful candidate for County Executive Lewis Yevoli, the story of former Garden City Mayor Richard A. Benack and his use of the opportunity the race created to raise concerns about the future of the Democratic Party has been for the most part overlooked. This is a fact which many party members who have heard Benack speak have stated they feel is unfortunate. In an effort to afford Benack an opportunity to explain why he too threw his hat into the race for chairman, Garden City Life spoke with Benack Thursday, April 15, just hours before the convention was held at Hofstra University.

Benack explained that he knew that DiNapoli was the favorite to win and both DiNapoli and Yevoli have more recognizable names in the County. He said he felt that by announcing his intention to run for the seat left open after Stephen Sabbeth resigned following a conviction in federal court on charges of illegally "hiding" $750,000 from creditors during his lumber company's bankruptcy proceedings, he could begin the process of not only airing his beliefs about the Democratic Party, but begin to develop plans to achieve his goals for the Party.

"The Democratic Party has not been successful in Nassau County because it doesn't have clearly outlined goals. They're so busy fighting for the scraps left by the Republican party, they've lost all vision of the greatness they once stood for and should now stand for again and can accomplish" Benack explained. He said he saw the conviction and subsequent resignation of Sabbeth, which was being made officially at 5 p.m. on April 15, as the interview with Benack was concluding, as a sign to run to help raise the issue of social awareness, once a point heralded by the Party.

"Equality of rights, social justice, a common effort to help the homeless, help the untutored get a better education, better clinics for the sick, better social progress, are all rights that I don't think are being provided adequately by the Republican Party and the Democratic Party has lost sight of" he said, "but if the Party accepts and pursues a common effort for these things, and these platforms are adopted by candidates who rise out of the Democratic Party, then I believe the Party will do more good and begin to succeed." He explained further, "We would attract a lot of people who, under the thin veneer of Republicanism, people with the hearts of Democrats who register Republican because it seems easier here, vote Republican, could be induced to vote for candidates from the Democratic party if they support social awareness and address these concerns."

Benack added, "Communities like Garden City, that are thought of as Republican and conservative, are home to more people than one might realize who are looking for someone who will work to do good and will ultimately vote in candidates who are Democrats if they see these candidates have a strong platform on social justice." He said he hopes to help lay the groundwork for this to become the goal of the Party. "I know it's a dream, but my plan or what I've come to this election to accomplish in the months to come is to create a stronger Party with the vision and plans to do good," he said.

While Benack did not win the chairman's seat, he said in advance of the election that he already knew this to be the result going in, but that getting his message out is his goal.

Some criticism directed at newly elected DiNapoli stems from the fact that he serves in the State Assembly in Albany and will have limited time to dedicate to the role of chairman, which he has publicly stated he only intends to occupy for the remainder of Sabbeth's term, which ends in September. Also, complaints have been voiced that the bylaws of the Party prohibit an elected official from serving as chairman, but DiNapoli supporters and DiNapoli himself argue that this is not technically a violation of the bylaws as he is filling the position vacated by Sabbeth only until its own natural end.

Supporters of DiNapoli argue that he alone possesses the abilities to bring the factions of the County's Democratic Party together as one Party. While Benack voiced his own concerns that DiNapoli and even Yevoli seemed only "nominally committed" to the role of chairman, he did state his plans to work with the chairman and fellow Democrats to help unify it and work to achieve his dreams for the future Party.