3 GOP State Reps Drop-Out of Re-election

By Leader Staff

Three North Shore Republican NYS State Legislators have now dropped-out of their re-election bids, leaving open seat races for each of their districts.

This past Friday, NYS Senator Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury) dropped out of the race for the New York State Senate.  His district covers most of North Hempstead and the north shore of Oyster Bay.

Earlier this year, two north shore Republican NYS Assemblymen - Keith Brown of Huntington and Dan Norber of Great Neck - announced their retirement from the State Assembly.

Martins was first elected to the NYS Senate in 2010 - after serving as Mayor of the Village of Mineola - but stepped down to run for US Congress, losing the 2016 race narrowly to Democrat Tom Suozzi.

In all three cases, observes believe that the State Legislature's new "outside earnings cap" encouraged the early retirements.  The cap - which was enacted by the Democrat-majority Legislature - takes effect next year, in 2027 - and limits NYS Senators and Assemblymen to earn no more than $35,000 in outside income.

Both Martins and Brown are attorneys, and Norber owns a successful business.  Each has regularly earned more than the new $35,000 cap being placed on outside income.

"Serving the people of the seventh Senate district has been the honor of a lifetime," stated Martins. "Thank you to the people of the district for the trust you have placed in me over the years."