Congressman Peter T. King is currently serving his eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 3rd Congressional District. He is ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee and serves on the Financial Services Committee. Prior to serving as Congressman, Rep. King served as a Town of Hempstead Councilman and as Nassau County Comptroller. He is a graduate of Notre Dame Law School.

According to Rep. King, the issues he finds most vital are protecting the United States from Islamic terrorism, stabilizing the economy for middle income homeowners, producing more energy and stopping illegal immigration. He is running on his "proud record of being an independent fighter and getting the job done" and, if re-elected, promises to continue working for "hardworking, middle income families" and "protecting New York and Long Island from Islamic terrorists."

Among his financial goals is the reduction of gas and oil prices. Rep. King also vows to work to help local communities sustain what he calls "the outstanding progress and redevelopment they have been making." Another fight Rep. King said he will continue is that of providing police departments with the most advanced technology.

The energy and vitality of the people are what Rep. King calls his favorite aspect of the 3rd Congressional District. He is a member of numerous civic and veterans groups and at press time has the endorsement of every major police and firefighter organization, he said.

Rep. King is running on the Republican, Independence and Conservative Party lines. A lifelong New Yorker, the congressman has lived in Seaford for 37 years. He and his wife have two adult children.

Graham Long is challenging Congressman Peter T. King for his long-held seat in the 3rd Congressional District.

While Mr. Long has never held elected office, he is no neophyte to the governmental arena, beginning with his work as an intern with the White House, working for the director of the President's National Economic Council in 2002 and acting as advisory commissioner for the District of Columbia, focusing on regional planning, development and transportation infrastructure. Mr. Long stated that "After the current administration in Washington proved to be drifting away from the challenges our nation faces, I returned to Long Island and became active in local government."

He currently works as an economic development advisor and regional planning specialist for Nassau County, working "to restore the unique character of the Island that has always been the frontier of America's future." His initiatives have served to help reduce the tax burden, create senior and next-generation affordable housing in downtowns, strengthen the economy, and preserve the environment, history and character of Long Island. These county issues, said Mr. Long, also apply to more local governments.

Concern for Long Island's economic base has led Mr. Long to the realization that "We need to bring in high-tech research and development industries and to steer our economy in a new direction that is centered on 'green' industries, building a renewable energy network, and rebuilding and reworking our crumbling infrastructure." Long Island has the educated workforce to do that, Mr. Long added, but the economy must provide that workforce the affordability to live here. Affordable rental and condominium units in the downtowns, which are often near public transportation, will serve to encourage seniors and young adults to remain on Long Island and will promote greater use of trains and buses, thus reducing traffic, as well as gasoline usage, he said.

Mr. Long believes property taxes can be reduced not only through increased federal and state aid for our schools, but also through restructuring and consolidating local government to make the system more efficient.

Mr. Long said he is running as the candidate of change, and that Rep. King is "the candidate for the status quo." The fact that he has never run for, nor held, political office serves to his advantage, Mr. Long believes, because, "I'm not beholden to any special interests. We can no longer trust the politicians in Washington to fix the problems they helped create in the first place."

If elected, Mr. Long said he vows to help Long Island preserve the legacy, neighborhoods, landmarks and environmental resources "that make our Island unique and attractive" while continuing "to grow responsibly and bring more development into our downtowns, encourage clean energy industries to come to Long Island, and rebuild and enhance our [public and private] transportation network."

In regard to international affairs, Mr. Long said, "We must encourage the next president to re-deploy our combat forces in Iraq, give our troops the benefits and breaks they deserve, and increase our troop levels in Afghanistan where Al-Qaeda is regrouping." The U.S. should reduce combat forces in Iraq, he said, while continuing to work as peacekeepers, which could provide our nation with greater international support. Mr. Long said he will also seek to reverse the current trend in Washington to export our economic base, which he said, has "left us with an unstable economy and a government based on borrowing."

Mr. Long stated, ""I am thrilled and honored to have the support of Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, State Assemblyman Charles Lavine, Presiding Officer of the Nassau County Legislature Diane Yatauro and former Town of North Hempstead Supervisor May Newburger."

At press time, Mr. Long has also received the endorsement of the Nassau Women's Democratic Caucus and the Alliance for Retired Americans.

Mr. Long is running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines. He holds a BA in American studies, concentrating in economic development and regional planning, from George Washington University. He resides in his home city of Glen Cove.