The Republican and Conservative parties have endorsed state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury) in the race for New York’s Third Congressional District.
The Nassau County GOP decided last week to support Martins, spokesman Michael Watt said.
“We feel he has the best chance of winning,” Watt said in an interview on Wednesday.
Suffolk Republicans nominated him Monday, according to an email from Chairman John LaValle.
Queens Republicans have also backed Martins, party Chairman Bob Turner said.
The Conservative Party of New York State announced their endorsement of Martins and five other candidates this week, according to an Associated Press report.
“I am thankful for support I have received from Nassau, Suffolk and Queens and happy to have the Republican and Conservative endorsements for Congress,” Martins said in a statement Tuesday. “I look forward bringing everyone together to work towards victory in November and carry the fight to Washington.”
Martins was among four Republicans aiming to replace Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) in the North Shore district.
The GOP has approached another candidate to replace Israel, retired U.S. Marine and Manhasset resident David Gurfein, to run against Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City), according to a Newsday report.
Gurfein said he’s considering several options, including a possible run in Rice’s district.
“A lot of people are very interested in our campaign,” he said. “They feel we’re a very strong candidate and they’re just trying to figure out how to work us into the equation and how best to support everybody on the Island.”
Watt said Republicans are looking at several candidates to oppose Rice, but declined to give specific names.
State Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci of Huntington Station, another Third District hopeful, told Newsday he would end his campaign and support Martins.
His campaign website was no longer active as of Wednesday.
The Republican National Congressional Committee has named Martins to its “On the Radar” list, part of the party’s “Young Guns” program.
In a Feb. 19 statement, Martins said the distinction continues momentum he has gathered since entering the race in January.
Gurfein was named to the RNCC’s “Young Guns” list last year.
The Republican and Conservative endorsements follow a weekend when two Democrats vying for the seat launched their campaigns aside early allies.
Former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi officially announced his entrance into the race in Bayside, Queens, Sunday after saying for several weeks he was on the fence.
“I am running because we need grown-ups in Washington, who will work with others to end the gridlock and partisanship that has plagued our government, and who will fight for middle-class families, seniors and veterans,” Suozzi said in a statement.
North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, one of the first to announce a bid for the Democratic nomination in the district stretching from Whitestone, Queens to Kings Park, also kicked off her campaign Sunday in Great Neck.
“America is a great country — my journey from political refugee to councilwoman to congressional candidate could only happen here in America — but we’re not going to be as great as we should be until we have an economy that allows working and middle-class families to get ahead, not keep falling farther behind,” said Kaplan, an Iranian immigrant, in a statement.
Suozzi touted endorsements from Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, who called him “a responsible reformer who gets things done,” and other leaders from the borough.
Kaplan has backing from four North Hempstead civic leaders, including officers in the Great Neck Korean-American Civic Association and the Great Neck Chinese Association.
“Anna Kaplan is a doer. She doesn’t just sit back,” said Matt Falcone, a Marine Corps veteran and member of the town’s Veterans Advisory Committee. “She takes her job seriously and will do everything she can for the people she represents.”
Suozzi spent the weeks leading up to his campaign launch touring the district and gathering support at town hall-style events.
He and Kaplan are among four Democrats aiming to replace Israel, who announced in January he wouldn’t seek re-election to a ninth term. The others are former North Hempstead Supervisor and Nassau Interim Finance Authority Chairman Jon Kaiman and Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern of Dix Hills.
The Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Democratic parties have reportedly decided not to endorse a candidate leading up to the June 28 primary.
Kaiman last month announced endorsements from former U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman and several town officials, including Councilwoman Lee Seeman of New Hyde Park and Councilman Peter Zuckerman of East Hills.