Year In Review - Eight-Term Congressman Takes His Bow

By Jano Tantongco

jtantongco@longislandergroup.com

After 16 years in Congress, Rep. Steve Israel announced early in 2016 he would not seek another term. 

After 16 years of service in the 3rd Congressional District, Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington) announced in January that he would not seek re-election for another term.

“It has been an incredible and humbling opportunity to serve my community.  I am grateful to my family, friends, staff, and most of all – the people of New York,” he said in a statement earlier this year. “Simply put, it’s time to pass on the torch.”

After his announcement, the gears were set in motion for a hotly contested campaign. It included a drawn-out legal battle which ultimately pushed out Republican contender Philip Pidot from the primary, throwing into the race State Senator Jack Martins (R-Mineola) against former Nassau County executive Thomas Suozzi.

Suozzi won the seat in the Nov. 8 election and this week opened a district office on Park Ave. in Huntington.

As for Israel, Long Island University announced Tuesday that the former congressman will join the university as the Chairman of the newly formed LIU Global Institute and Distinguished Writer in Residence. He starts Jan. 4, 2017, one day after Suozzi takes office.

“Our non-partisan mission will include bringing world leaders, thinkers and analysts to campus; serving as a resource for the University as well as regional business leaders and social activists for information and analysis of world events; and helping to prepare students to change our world with new models of innovation and social entrepreneurship,” Israel stated in a release.