For more than a year, I've worked alongside Lee Zeldin as he's put together a valiant effort t sto defeat an incumbent and earn a seat as Eastern Long Island's representative to the United States Congress.

Before I continue, it's important to note that I don't throw around the word 'valiant' without qualification, and I'll explain why I describe Lee's efforts in this way below. But first, a word about the incumbent, Tim Bishop.

Despite having worked hard to unseat him over the past 12 months, I don't dislike Tim Bishop. In fact, I respect him and the office that he holds. Having never actually met him, all indications cast him as a caring family man and a concerned American who's committed to serving his community. No doubt, these are the qualities of an upstanding citizen.

However, his six years of Congressional service are best described as unremarkable. You'll never see Tim Bishop on Meet the Press and cannot name a notable piece of legislation he's led on his own (anyone can sign on as a cosponsor of strong legislation). And while that's fine for most other Congressional Districts, considering New York's position of leadership for the the nation, our penchant for excellence and Suffolk County's high taxes, I think we deserve better.

I'm sure that there are plenty of arguments that Bishop supporters could give me in regarding the track record of their candidate (eg. regarding the environment and education); and I might even accept some of those positions. But perception is reality.

In Congress and within his own party, Tim Bishop is a back bencher, not on par with Peter King, Gary Ackerman, Steve Israel or Carolyn McCarthy, all of whom possess more notoriety and clout on the Hill. If pressed, I think even Tim Bishop would have to admit that. Unfortunately for us, he's First on Long Island in District only.

As a government employee myself, I expect more of my colleagues. And as an Air Force veteran, I will always adhere to the core value of Excellence in All We Do. After a year of working alongside Lee Zeldin, I've seen firsthand how (even for a soldier) he embodies this core value and as I write this, I'm more convinced today that he's the right man for this position than I was when I committed to support him.

In the summer of 2007, I was excited about the prospect helping a fellow young veteran get elected. As we've publicized in virtually every release, Lee served as an Army JAG in a variety of locations including a stint with the 82nd Airborne in Iraq. In my book, that alone serves as a huge qualifier for public office. I am a champion of getting more veterans into Congress (our numbers are dwindling on the Hill), and if I can help a fellow OIF vet punch his ticket, all the better for our troops on the ground. But Lee's depth extends beyond his uniformed service.

When it came to campaigning, Lee went all in. Blessed with a wonderful, understanding wife, he's been able to commit his heart and soul to the stump. While his wife has watched his beautiful twin girls and worked an unthinkable schedule to make ends meet, Lee's not only shown how much he cares about where he came from but more importantly, where he wants to take his community.

Of all the places a lawyer with Lee's bona fides could choose to live, Lee wanted to return to Shirley. While anyone like Lee with a law degree, military service and significant courtroom experience is marketable in so many places--even in this economy; especially in this economy--Lee took the road less traveled. Instead of finding a gated community in North Carolina or a politically ripe district in Arizona--both places he's lived, and many of his Long Island contemporaries have moved--Lee chose to buy a home in Shirley.

Sidenote: Considering Lee's relatively young age, I've heard a number of folks comment on how this campaign will help prepare him for the future, as if he's only doing this half-heartedly. Unequivocally, nothing could be further from the truth. Lee's in this to win. At the same time, if he is unsuccessful, I'm sure he'll get on with changing the world through other means. The people of the First CD have one shot at locking Lee in, I'm writing this in hopes that they do not miss this golden opportunity.

Further, on the topic of age, no one cared how old he was when they sent him to Baghdad--why should Washington be any different?

For all the challenges posed by life in the Mastic-Shirley area, Lee seeks to do the noble thing, to make it better.

Therein lies the reality of the type of man Lee Zeldin is. To paraphrase one of my personal heroes, Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, "his audio matches his visual." It's one thing to say you want Mastic-Shirley to get better, it's another when you devote your life to make it happen.

Throughout this crusade, I've often been impressed by Lee's deft organizational skill. In times that are defined by economic hardship, he's never made excuses en route to building an impressive campaign machine that rivals anything the First CD has seen from a challenger in recent years. From the thousands of small donations his supporters could afford, Lee has squeezed progress out of every nickle. A fantastic motivator, Lee has some of the most dedicated volunteers you'll find anywhere in the 2008 race.

In the last year, he has exhibited the leadership, commitment and ability that we deserve. Because of these characteristics, there isn't a doubt in my mind that Lee Zeldin is the right man at the right time to represent New York's First Congressional District.

As our nation faces unprecedented national security challenges and some of deepest depths of economic hardship, we could use his steady hand. We would do well to have a man like him represent us in Washington.

So on an Election Day where the concept of 'change' will reach unprecedented heights, here's hoping that hardworking men and women of the First CD recognize the positive change Lee Zeldin will bring to Eastern Long Island as their next Congressman.
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Notes: Lee does not know that I wrote this, although I suspect he'll find out about it via a blogsearch the campaign has set up. At the same time, I expect Bishop to find out in much the same way (I have it on record that members of his staff are among my most loyal readers).

Labels: politics