I would like to offer wholehearted congratulations and a thank you to Staten Island Republican County Chairman Brendan Lantry and to the Staten Island Conservative County Chairman David Mario Curcio for their overwhelming success in the local 2020 elections on Staten Island. Congratulations to our new Congresswoman-elect Nicole Malliotakis and to all of the other candidates who, win or lose, ran great races.
It should be especially noted that under the new leadership of David Curcio, the Conservative Party has once again become a contender in the outcome of our local elections. It was the Conservative Party which helped secure our Republican candidate’s victories. Even in a close loss, the Conservative Party supporting Anthony DeGugerre came closer to unseating too long incumbent Mike Cusick.
It was not long ago that liberal Mike Cusick quietly got the nod of the Conservative party. Cusick had until recently been seen as untouchable and his razor thin win against a first time candidate has no doubt sent shock waves to the party of defund the police. I wouldn’t even be surprised if this puts the brakes on Cusick’s aspirations to become Borough President. Well done Brendan and David.
Even with the possibility of a presidential loss, it is with renewed optimism that I see Staten Island sending right of center candidates into the political arena to be the voice of reason, the counterbalance to the socialist left. I am proud to support people who believe in common sense and not nonsense, I am proud of the changes that Mr. Lantry and Mr. Curcio have brought to their respective parties, and I am confident that there will be more such victories in the future.
Assemlymember Sam Pirozzolo
Sam Pirozzolo is a native Staten Islander. He is a frequent contributor to the Staten Islander, and is well-known and loved by people on both the Right and Left, in his North Shore community. Sam brings people together, instead of dividing, by speaking common sense and analyzing our island's, and city's, issues, with intelligence and concern for all. Sam Pirozzolo was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 8, 2022. The 63rd Assembly District represents parts of Richmond County. Sam has successfully operated his family’s optical practice for 33 years. He is the past president of Community Education Council 31 where he served for seven years. Some of his most notable accomplishments include the creation of a Gifted and Talented program for middle school students, the recommendation for the NYC Department of Education to hire retired police officers as school resource officers, and the successful fight for the immediate cleanup of toxic PCBs leaking from the light fixtures in school classrooms. As an education advocate, Sam has participated in historic litigation that led to the return of more than $4 billion to New York public schools. He also fought to ensure that co-located charter schools receive the same capital funding as their host public schools. While serving in the Legislature, Sam will work to support law enforcement officers with proper funding, fix broken bail and parole policies, and help small businesses grow and thrive in a stronger, more resilient economy.