Politics & Government

Democratic Newcomer to Run for Suffolk Legislature

Smithtown Democrats announce Gary Jacobs as candidate to run for the county's 12th District.

Smithtown resident Gary Jacobs announced last week he will be running as the Democratic candidate for Suffolk County Legislature's 12th District. A political newcomer, Jacobs will run against incumbent Legis. John Kennedy Jr., R-Nesconset. 

Jacobs is a Huntington native who settled down in Smithtown 20 years ago to raise his children. He works from home as an executive for a pet supply company based in New Jersey. 

Jacobs says he is running for office as he believes in a government that represents the people. 

Patch caught up with Jacobs on Monday for a brief Q&A about him and his political views: 

Q: What is your political background? 

Jacobs: "Basically, I don’t have a political background. I’ve always been a concerned citizen interested in politics but I believe in a government representative of the people. It’s my feeling the town government, specifically in Smithtown, is not representing me. They are mainly career politicians and attorneys. 

I believe the number is over 70 percent of elected officials are career politicians or attorneys. I don’t believe they are representing my best interest. Rather than complain about it, I thought,' This is democracy I am going to go for it.'"
 
Q: What inspired you to run for political office?

Jacobs: "Specifically what it was, is I recently got involved in Smithtown Chamber of Commerce. At their meeting, they were talking about all the empty stores on Main Street. I thought about it, when I bought my house in Smithtown and we were looking around, one of the things that attracted me to Smithtown is that we have a Main Street and a center of town.

Now that I look, over the past several years there have become more and more empty stores. We now have buy-and-sell jewelry stores. I see the town starting to go downhill." 


Q: What is going to set you apart from incumbent Legis. John Kennedy Jr. ?

Jacobs: "I think we actually both have the same goals in mind. He wants sewers for the town; he would like to revitalize the downtown area. These issues really aren’t Democratic or Republican issues on a local level, we all want the same thing we want a better town. 

The difference between John and myself is I think I could get them done. I’m a new person in there energetic coming at it from a new angle. I’m a businessman, I get things done. I can solve problems and work with people. I’m in sales. A lot of it has to do with business and sales. 

It’s not about what we want. We all know what has to be done for our downtowns, we all come at it from different angles. I believe I could get it done." 

Q: What is your biggest challenge to getting elected this November? 

Jacobs: "The biggest challenge is going to be name recognition. I think as I have to get out and speak to constituents. 

A big theme for me is being representative of the people. I have kids in college, I struggle to pay my mortgage, I’ve made a commitment I will always have an open door to any of the 80,000 constituents in the 12th District. I will be the representative of the people."


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