“Definitely challenging and interesting” is how Rep. Laura Gillen describes the current moment for congressional newcomers like herself.
Long Island was a rare bright spot for Democrats last fall, as Gillen ousted Republican Anthony D’Esposito in a closely watched rematch, just two years after he had bested her for an open seat in the midterms.
A former Hempstead town supervisor, she ran as a moderate focused on issues affecting swingy Nassau County. Now she’s charting that path in Congress, showing a willingness to cross party lines on things like fentanyl and immigration. In March, she joined just nine fellow Democrats in voting to censure Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for disrupting President Donald Trump’s joint address.
