Brendon Henry Drops Congressional Bid, Leaving Five Democrats In Race To Challenge Zeldin

Apr 13, 2018 3:38 PM

Center Moriches resident Brendon Henry announced on Friday morning that he is suspending his campaign for the Democratic congressional nomination.

Mr. Henry failed to submit the required 1,250 signatures supporting his candidacy by Thursday's deadline to get on the ballot for the Democratic Party primary in June.

"It came down to the wire, and we just ran out of time," the longtime Southampton Publick House and Buckley's Inn Between bartender and co-founder of the annual Cabin Fever Music Festival said in a message. "This isn't the end, just a speed bump on the way to facilitate the change we want."

In a statement sent to the Press, Mr. Henry said his campaign will support other candidates "of energy, intelligence, and character" in the race and will push for the priorities of the working and middle class.

Five Democratic congressional hopefuls submitted the requisite nominating petitions for their candidacy to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin for the 1st Congressional District seat.

Kate Browning, Vivian Villoria Fisher, Elaine DiMaisi, East Hampton resident Perry Gershon and David Pechefsky all submitted petitions with the signatures of at least 1,250 registered Suffolk County Democrats by Thursday’s 5 p.m. deadline.

As of mid afternoon on Thursday, Center Moriches resident Brendon Henry was still collecting signatures on his petitions. He said that he and his volunteers were working hard to attain enough signatures before the deadline.

Candidates may drop off their nominating petitions to the Suffolk County Board of Elections in Yaphank or send them by mail, as long as the mailing is postmarked no later than Thursday.

Mr. Zeldin also submitted his nominating petition to be the Republican candidate for a third term in office. His Democratic challenger will be chosen from among the crowded field by the party’s voters in a primary election to be held on June 26.

Mr. Zeldin, who is from Brookhaven Town, cruised to an easy win in the 2016 election over former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst but Democrats have been rallying to find a candidate who can unseat him in an election forecast to favor the Democratic Party because of dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump.

Mr. Zeldin started this campaign year with more than $1.3 million already in his campaign war chest.