Ethan Irwin to vie for Kemp Hannon’s Senate seat
With just under six months until Election Day on Nov. 9, a Democratic challenger has announced his bid for the New York State Senate’s sixth district seat—covering Garden City, Farmingdale, East Meadow, Levittown, Hicksville, Bethpage, and Island Trees—currently occupied by state Sen. Kemp Hannon.
Ethan Irwin, an attorney from Levittown, has already received the endorsement of Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs. On June 30, Irwin officially opened his campaign headquarters at Kennedy Memorial Park in the Village of Hempstead.
“I am inspired by the support I’ve received from Nassau County residents, its elected officials, community leaders and my friends and family,” Irwin said. “Every day when I talk to members of the community they tell me they want to work together to find solutions to our problems and bring back opportunity and prosperity.”
Irwin has spent years as an advocate for communities in the eastern part of the Senate district, attending meetings of the Levittown Property Owners Association, volunteering as an EMT, and serving as a member of the Restoration Advisory Board for the Grumman/Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Bethpage. With more than 10 years of experience practicing law, Irwin said he has a solid understanding of the legislative process and experience as a local advocate for change.
“My legal experience has shown me the failings of law and government and has prepared me to address those failings,” Irwin said.
Despite a previous run for office, when he lost a hard-fought campaign against incumbent Republican County Legislator Dennis Dunne, back in 2011, Irwin has since gotten back on the proverbial horse with his sights now set on the Senate.
“Since our current Senator has been in office, our families have seen their property taxes skyrocket with the increasing burden of unfunded mandates from Albany,” Irwin said. “I understand that supporting a family is hard enough without unsustainable tax increases along with the high cost of living on Long Island.”
However, Hannon, a Republican and 24-year incumbent, said he plans to campaign on a record of his accomplishments, which includes serving as chairman of the Senate Health Committee, providing property tax relief to homeowners, and more recently, helping pass legislation that looks to address the increase of heroin and opioid abuse in the state.
“I will be going door to door, as I have each of the election years,” Hannon said.
Irwin has asserted a desire for establishing term limits, saying Hannon has been in office too long.
“It is obvious to me, from his failings as a legislator, that he has become entrenched in the political system and is no longer concerned with anything other than getting re-elected,” Irwin said.
With Election Day still several months away, Hannon and Irwin will look to the campaign trail to try and draw more support before voters head to the polls. Stay tuned to the Garden City Life for more election coverage, all leading up to Election Day on Nov. 4.
