Five Democrats Will Face Off In June Primary, Looking To Challenge Representative Lee Zeldin

Five Suffolk County Democrats will face off in a June primary, with the top vote-getter winning the right to challenge U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin for New York’s 1st Congressional District seat in the November general election.

Perry Gershon, Kate Browning, Vivian Villoria-Fisher, Elaine DiMaisi and David Pechefsky all submitted petitions with the signatures of at least 1,250 registered Democrats supporting their candidacy before the filing deadline on Thursday, April 12. With none of the candidates having asked to be withdrawn, all five names are likely to be on the June 26 ballot.

A general objection to Mr. Gershon’s and Ms. Browning’s petitions was filed by an attorney who has worked for Mr. Pechefsky’s campaign, on behalf of an East Patchogue woman. The attorney will have six days to file specific objections to names on the petitions of the two candidates, who each submitted more than 1,000 signatures beyond the required minimum.

A court challenge to the candidacy of a candidate can be filed until April 26. The ballots will be certified on May 3, according to Suffolk County Board of Elections Commissioner Anita Katz.

In Suffolk County, there is no runoff in the event that one candidate does not receive a majority of votes cast—the Democratic nomination will go to whichever of the five candidates gets a simple plurality of the votes.

Mr. Zeldin also submitted his nominating petition to be the Republican candidate for a third term in office, and Patricia Latzman submitted the lone petition to be on the Working Families Party line.

Mr. Zeldin, who is from Brookhaven Town, cruised to an easy win in the 2016 election over former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, who survived a tough primary battle. 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.

The race is sure to be an expensive one. In 2016, Ms. Throne-Host raised more than $3 million for the race, and Mr. Zeldin raised about $2.7 million. Mr. Zeldin started this campaign year with more than $1.3 million already in his war chest.

Mr. Gershon, an East Hampton resident, says he already has raised more than $1.4 million for the primary and general election campaigns—a number that campaign finance disclosures show includes at least $300,000 he has personally loaned his campaign fund. That makes him the top fundraiser on the Democratic side.

“We’ve been overwhelmed with the momentum and energy building for my campaign from every part of the district,” Mr. Gershon​ said in a statement. “Long Islanders are fed up with Congressman Lee Zeldin and Donald Trump and ready for change. It’s time for a bold progressive who will stand up to Trump. In Congress, I’ll fight for Medicare for All, work for common-sense solutions to prevent gun violence, and always stand up for a woman’s right to choose. I’m ready to get to work and fight for what’s right.”

Ms. Browning, a former Suffolk County legislator, has said she has raised more than $360,000 thus far and has some $255,000 on hand.

“I am proud of the support I’ve received since announcing my candidacy,” Ms. Browning said in a statement issued by her campaign on Monday. “Our campaign continues to build a broad coalition of grassroots supporters, unions and elected officials who believe my blue-collar background and experience winning tough elections in a highly Republican district makes me the best candidate to beat Lee Zeldin.”

In federal disclosures at the end of last month, Mr. Pechefsky reported having raised about $236,000 thus far, Ms. Viloria-Fisher about $97,000, and Ms. DiMasi about $79,000.

The morning after the filing deadline, Center Moriches resident Brendon Henry announced that he was suspending his campaign for the Democratic nomination. Mr. Henry failed to secure the required 1,250 signatures supporting his candidacy by the deadline to get on the ballot.

“It came down to the wire, and we just ran out of time,” the longtime bartender at the Southampton Publick House and Buckley’s Inn Between in Hampton Bays, 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.