FEBRUARY 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 33
THE POLICY SHAPERS
THE LAWMAKERS, POLITICAL LEADERS, AND OTHER GOVERMENT OFFICIALS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT LIFE ON LI
Jay Jacobs, New York State Democratic
Committee Chairman
The Nassau County Democratic
Committee chairman’s power
grew exponentially when Gov.
Andrew Cuomo tapped Jacobs
for his second stint as leader of
the state party. The gig was Jacobs’
reward for helping fl ip the
New York State Senate
from Republicans to
Democratic control in
the November elections.
Jacobs, who
became county
chair in 2001,
last held the
state leadership
post
from 2009
to 2012. The
governor credited Jacobs
with helping make history
in getting Laura
Curran elected as
the first female
Nassau County
executive in
2017, among
other local
fi rsts.
THE POWER LIST
Nassau Democratic
Committee Chairman
now also leads the
state party. (Photo by Bob
Giglione)
NASSAU
LEADERS
Laura Curran, Nassau
County Executive
Richard Nicolello,
Presiding Offi cer, Nassau
County Legislature
Kevan Abrahams,
Nassau County
Legislature’s Democratic
Minority Leader
Joseph Cairo, Chairman,
Nassau County
Republican Committee
THE LI 6
The leaders of the
Island’s new Democratic
majority state Senate
caucus.
Todd Kaminsky, New
York State Senator
John Brooks, New York
State Senator
THE FROSH
These four Democratic
state senators were instrumental
in flipping
the chamber from Republican
control.
James F. Gaughran, New
York State Senator
Anna Kaplan, New York
State Senator
Monica Martinez, New
York State Senator
Kevin Thomas, New
York State Senator
DRAGON
SLAYER
Taylor Raynor,
New York State
Assemblywoman
Unseated the third most
powerful state Assemblywoman
in November.
DC BIGWIGS
Peter King, U.S.
Congressman
LI’s most tenured U.S.
Representative.
Thomas Suozzi, U.S.
Congressman
Sits on powerful Ways &
Means Committee.
TOP COPS
Patrick Ryder,
Nassau County Police
Commissioner
Geraldine Hart,
Suffolk County Police
Commissioner
Madeline Singas, Nassau
County District Attorney
Timothy Sini, Suffolk
County District Attorney
THE
ENGINEER
Patrick Foye,
President,
Metropolitan
Transportation
Authority
This Long
Islander controls the fate of
the Long Island Rail Road’s
parent agency, the MTA —
the nation’s largest public
transportation system.
It’s his management that
directly impacts millions
of commuters.
MONEY MAN
Howard
Zemsky,
President
and CEO,
Empire State
Development Corporation
Zemsky and his colleagues
— more than 450 people
working in regional offi ces
around the state — manage
a broad range of programs,
incentives and services
designed to increase
private sector investment
and job creation in New
York. He helped hatch the
plan to create a new arena
for the New York Islanders
in Elmont.
SUFFOLK
LEADERS
Steve Bellone, Suffolk
County Executive
DuWayne Gregory,
Presiding Offi cer, Suff olk
County Legislature
Thomas Cilmi, Minority
Leader, Suff olk County
Legislature’s Republican
Caucus
Richard Schaffer,
Suffolk County Democratic
Committee Chairman,
Babylon Town
Supervisor
John Jay LaValle, Suff olk
County Republican Committee
Chairman
ALBANY
POWER
PLAYERS
Thomas DiNapoli, New
York State Comptroller
John Flanagan, New
York State Senate
Republican Minority
Leader
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