Thomas Richard Suozzi (; born August 31, 1962) is an American politician, attorney and accountant who served as the
U.S. Representative for from 2017 to 2023.
His district included part of the
North Shore of Long Island.
A member of the
Democratic Party, Suozzi was the
county executive
A county executive, county manager or county mayor is the head of the executive branch of government in a United States county.
The executive may be an elected or an appointed position. When elected, the executive typically functions either as a ...
of
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2020 U.S. census, Nassau County's population is 1,395,774. The county seat is Mineola and the largest town is Hempstead.
Nassau County is situated on western Long Isl ...
from 2002 to 2009. He was first elected to the post in 2001 after four two-year terms as mayor of
Glen Cove. In
2006, he ran unsuccessfully against
Eliot Spitzer for the Democratic nomination for
governor of New York, on a "Fix Albany" platform. Suozzi was elected to the House of Representatives in
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
and reelected in
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
and
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
. He retired from Congress to run again for the Democratic nomination for governor of New York in
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
, losing to incumbent Governor
Kathy Hochul
Kathleen Hochul ( ; née Courtney; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of New York since August 24, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she is New York's first female governor, as well as the first ...
.
Early and personal life
The son of former
Glen Cove mayor
Joseph A. Suozzi, Thomas Suozzi was born on August 31, 1962 in
Glen Cove. His father was born in Italy and his mother, Marguerite, is of Irish and English descent. The youngest of five siblings, Tom Suozzi attended Catholic schools, graduating from
Chaminade High School
Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic Marianist college preparatory high school for boys in Mineola, New York, United States. Chaminade’s main campus is also home to Saragossa Retreat Center, one of their three retreat houses.
Athletics
T ...
,
Boston College, and
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is the law school of Fordham University. The school is located in Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city. In 2013, 91% of the law school's first-time test t ...
. He is trained as both a lawyer and a
CPA.
Early political career
Mayor of Glen Cove
In 1993, Suozzi was elected mayor of
Glen Cove, New York. He served as mayor for four terms.
His father and his uncle, Vincent Suozzi, were mayors of Glen Cove before him.
As mayor, Suozzi focused on environmental cleanup of commercial and industrial sites. A focal point of his administration was redeveloping brownfield and
superfund sites.
In 1994, the Glen Cove incinerator was permanently closed and dismantled. In 1998, the city demolished and redeveloped the defunct Li Tungsten Refinery grounds, a federal superfund site. Then-Vice President
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...
recognized Suozzi for the city's environmental cleanup efforts and Glen Cove was awarded the Brownfields Award in 1998.
Nassau County Executive
Suozzi was elected
Nassau County Executive in 2001, becoming the first Democrat elected to the position in traditionally Republican Nassau in 30 years. He assumed office amid a fiscal crisis. By 1999, Nassau was on the brink of financial collapse: the county faced a $300 million annual deficit, was billions of dollars in debt, and its credit rating had sunk to one level above junk status. According to ''The New York Times'', he "earned high marks from independent institutions for his signature achievement, the resuscitation of Nassau's finances."
While in office, Suozzi cut spending and reduced borrowing and debt. He also oversaw 11 county bond upgrades over two years, eliminated deficits in Nassau, and accumulated surpluses. In 2005, ''
Governing Magazine
''Governing'' is a website, edited and published in Washington, D.C., that covers state and local government in the United States. Originally a national monthly magazine, it was published in print 1987 and 2019. It covers policy, politics, and the ...
'' named Suozzi one of its Public Officials of the Year, calling him "the man who spearheaded Nassau County, New York's, remarkable turnaround from the brink of fiscal disaster."
[ According to ''The New York Times'', Suozzi garnered praise for social services like his "no wrong door" program, which centralized access to social services.][
Suozzi lost the 2009 county executive election to Ed Mangano. After working in the private sector as an attorney, he announced that he would seek a rematch against Mangano in 2013. He attacked Mangano for "presiding over a decline in the county" while also emphasizing that, while he was county executive, Suozzi had eight years of balanced budgets and reduced crime. In November, Mangano defeated Suozzi, 59% to 41%.]
2006 New York gubernatorial campaign
Suozzi declared his candidacy for governor of New York in the Democratic primary against Eliot Spitzer on February 25, 2006. The bid appeared from the start to be something of a long shot given Spitzer's reputation as a "corporate crusader", though Suozzi often pointed out that he prevailed as a long shot before when he first ran for Nassau County Executive.
Few prominent Democrats apart from Nassau County Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs supported his bid; most of New York's Democratic legislators and mayors campaigned for Spitzer. One of Suozzi's biggest supporters was Victor Rodriguez, founder of the now disbanded Voter Rights Party. Rodriguez eventually became the lead field organizer for Suozzi's Albany campaign office. The campaign was funded in part by Home Depot co-founder Kenneth Langone
Kenneth Gerard Langone Sr. KSG (born September 16, 1935) is an American billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist, best known for organizing financing for the founders of The Home Depot
The Home Depot, Inc., is an American mul ...
, former NYSE CEO Richard Grasso
Richard A. "Dick" Grasso (born July 26, 1946 in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York (state), New York) was chairman and chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange from 1995 to 2003. He started in 1968 when he was hired by the Exchange as a floo ...
, David Mack of the MTA, and many people on Wall Street whom Spitzer had investigated and prosecuted.
On June 13, 2006, Suozzi spoke before the New York State Conference of Mayors along with Spitzer and John Faso
John James Faso Jr. (born August 25, 1952) is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2017 to 2019. Faso was first elected to the post in 2016. A Republican, Faso previously represented the 102nd dis ...
. Suozzi received a standing ovation from the crowd of mayors. On July 6, Suozzi announced to his followers that he had collected enough petitions to place himself on the primary ballot. During a debate, he said he had presidential aspirations. On August 7, after much speculation, Suozzi announced that he would not seek an independent line were he to lose the primary.
2022 New York gubernatorial campaign
On November 29, 2021, Suozzi announced his candidacy for governor of New York in the 2022 election. He lost the Democratic primary to incumbent governor Kathy Hochul
Kathleen Hochul ( ; née Courtney; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of New York since August 24, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she is New York's first female governor, as well as the first ...
.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2016
In June 2016, Suozzi won a five-way Democratic primary in New York's 3rd congressional district
New York's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the State of New York. It is represented by Democrat Tom Suozzi, who has been in office since 2017. In the 2022 election, Rep ...
. He was endorsed by ''The New York Times'', ''Newsday'', and ''The Island Now''. He defeated Republican State Senator Jack Martins in the general election on November 8, and began representing New York's 3rd congressional district
New York's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the State of New York. It is represented by Democrat Tom Suozzi, who has been in office since 2017. In the 2022 election, Rep ...
in the 115th United States Congress
The 115th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States of America federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 2017, to January ...
in January 2017.[
]
2018
In June 2018, Suozzi won the Democratic primary unopposed. In the general election, Suozzi defeated Republican nominee Dan DeBono, a future Trump administration Chief Infrastructure Funding Officer and former trader and investment banker, by 18 points.
2020
In June 2020, Suozzi won a three-way Democratic primary in New York's 3rd congressional district
New York's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the State of New York. It is represented by Democrat Tom Suozzi, who has been in office since 2017. In the 2022 election, Rep ...
with 66.5% of the votes. In the general election, he defeated Republican nominee George Santos
George Anthony Devolder Santos (; ; born July 22, 1988) is an American politician who is the U.S. representative for , serving since 2023. A member of the Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the ...
, a finance executive, by over 12 points.
Tenure
As of November 2021, Suozzi had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.
He is vice-chair of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which comprises 22 Democrats and 22 Republicans. He also co-chairs the Long Island Sound Caucus, co-chairs the Quiet Skies Caucus, and chairs the United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA or Kings Point) is a United States service academy in Kings Point, New York. It trains its midshipmen (as students at the academy are called) to serve as officers in the United States Merchant ...
’s Board of Visitors. Suozzi is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
The U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus, founded in September 2003, is a bipartisan congressional organization with the conviction that “the United States of America has the opportunity, the obligation and the interests to advanc ...
the Climate Solutions Caucus, is a Commissioner on the Congressional Executive Commission on China, and is the Chairman of the Congressional Uyghur Caucus.
In Congress, Suozzi authored and is the leading voice on legislation to restore the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction, which was capped at $10,000 in 2017. Through his work, Suozzi orchestrated a call from the New York Congressional Delegation for the repeal of the SALT cap.
In 2022, Suozzi strongly opposed a proposal by Governor Kathy Hochul
Kathleen Hochul ( ; née Courtney; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of New York since August 24, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she is New York's first female governor, as well as the first ...
to permit homeowners to add an accessory dwelling unit (such as an extra apartment and backyard cottage) on lots zoned for single-family housing. The proposal was intended to alleviate New York's housing shortage and make housing more affordable. Suozzi said that he supported efforts to tackle housing problems, but that he was against "ending single-family housing".
Committee assignments
* Committee on Ways and Means
* Congressional Executive Commission on China
Caucus memberships
* Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
* United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
The U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus, founded in September 2003, is a bipartisan congressional organization with the conviction that “the United States of America has the opportunity, the obligation and the interests to advanc ...
* Climate Solutions Caucus
* Problem Solvers Caucus (Vice Chair)
* Long Island Sound Caucus
* Quiet Skies Caucus (Co-Chair)
* United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA or Kings Point) is a United States service academy in Kings Point, New York. It trains its midshipmen (as students at the academy are called) to serve as officers in the United States Merchant ...
’s Board of Visitors (Chair)
*New Democrat Coalition
The New Democrat Coalition is a caucus in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress made up of Democrats, primarily centrists, who take a pro-business stance and a moderate-to-conservative approach to fiscal matters.
As of ...
*Congressional Uyghur Caucus (Chair)
Electoral history
Personal life
Suozzi and his wife, Helene, have three children. Their son Joe played baseball at Boston College and is in the minor-league system of the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
.
See also
* New York gubernatorial election, 2006
References
External links
*
*
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Suozzi, Thomas
1962 births
20th-century American politicians
21st-century American politicians
American people of English descent
American people of Irish descent
American politicians of Italian descent
Boston College alumni
Chaminade High School alumni
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
Fordham University School of Law alumni
Living people
Mayors of places in New York (state)
Nassau County Executives
Politicians from Glen Cove, New York