Tomorrow, November 3, voters will decide who represents New York’s Third Congressional District. There is much at stake in this election, not merely for the Democratic Party but for the kind of politics we want to see in America.
I have followed Tom Suozzi for years. When he won the special election in 2024, I wrote that he had succeeded by swimming against the current. He did not win by shouting louder than everybody else. He won by listening to people and speaking about their everyday concerns.
That quality is rare in American politics.
Today, we have two political camps that seem more interested in fighting each other than solving problems. One side demands absolute loyalty to Donald Trump. The other sometimes acts as though anyone who questions its most progressive ideas has no place in the Democratic Party. Where does that leave the ordinary American?
Suozzi offers a different approach. He is a Democrat who believes in capitalism, fiscal responsibility, law and order, secure borders and strong national defense. At the same time, he believes the government must protect working families, defend civil rights, strengthen public education and treat immigrants with dignity.
Why should any of those beliefs be incompatible?
America became a land of opportunity because people were allowed to work hard, take risks and build better lives. For generations of immigrants, the American Dream was not some slogan invented by politicians. It was a promise that hard work and education could open doors that had been closed elsewhere.
That promise is under strain today. Families are struggling with property taxes, grocery bills, mortgages, health insurance and college tuition. Young people wonder whether they can ever afford a home near the community where they grew up. Those are the questions that should dominate this election, not another round of ideological name-calling.
Suozzi understands these concerns because he has made practical problem-solving the foundation of his politics.
He recognizes that compassion and common sense can go together. We can have secure borders without treating every immigrant as a criminal. We can support law enforcement while insisting on fairness and accountability. We can provide a safety net for those who need help without abandoning the economic system that has created opportunity for millions.
Most importantly, Suozzi understands that democracy requires compromise. Washington was never intended to be a place where two parties refuse even to speak to one another. Our Constitution created a system of checks, balances and negotiation. Working with Republicans when it serves the public interest is not a betrayal of Democratic principles. It is what responsible lawmakers are supposed to do.
This is also why Suozzi’s reelection matters beyond one congressional district. His victory would demonstrate that there is still room in American politics for moderation, civility and independent judgment. It would send a message that voters need not surrender their common sense to either extreme.
His Republican opponent, Mike LiPetri, deserves to have his views heard and judged fairly. That is how democracy should operate. But I believe Suozzi has earned another term through his willingness to reach across political lines and remain focused on the people he represents.
No one should take the right to vote lightly. If you have not yet voted, make your voice heard on November 3. Democracy loses when good people stay home.
Tomorrow’s election is a choice about more than party labels. It is about whether practical leadership can still prevail over division.
I believe Tom Suozzi represents that possibility. He clearly deserves another term in Congress.
George Abraham
