The police union in Rep. Tom Suozzi's own hometown has turned its back on him, endorsing Republican challenger Mike LiPetri instead as the two face off again for New York's 3rd Congressional District. The Glen Cove City Police Benevolent Association, which backed Suozzi the first time the pair squared off, flipped its support to LiPetri, citing the congressman's 2021 vote for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
Suozzi grew up in Glen Cove and served as the city's mayor from 1994 to 2001 before going on to run Nassau County government, according to the New York Post. Glen Cove operates its own municipal police department separate from the Nassau County Police Department, a 51-officer force that serves the city under a community policing model, according to the City of Glen Cove. Glen Cove PBA President Chris Pascucci said, “When it mattered most and others turned their back on us and let us down, Mike LiPetri stood with Law Enforcement 100%.” The union said in a statement that it is “proud to endorse Mike LiPetri for Congress,” per the Post's reporting.
A Vote That Won't Go Away
LiPetri has argued that Suozzi's hometown department is backing him specifically because of the congressman's record, pointing to Suozzi's vote for the George Floyd Act, which stripped police officers of qualified immunity. LiPetri has said the measure caused widespread demoralization among rank-and-file officers and their families, the same report notes. Suozzi co-sponsored the bill in March 2021, which also proposed banning police chokeholds nationwide, according to Long Island Life & Politics. The measure ultimately stalled in the U.S. Senate.
The endorsement flip is a reversal from the union's stance during Suozzi and LiPetri's first congressional matchup, when the Glen Cove PBA supported the incumbent Democrat. It's also a departure from how Suozzi's campaign presented things as recently as August, when his official website prominently touted backing from the Glen Cove Police Benevolent Association — support that evaporated once the union switched sides in October. Hoodline noted the Glen Cove PBA endorsement on Suozzi's site in a report about candidates omitting Gov. Kathy Hochul from their campaign websites.
Countywide Union Support Still Intact
Suozzi hasn't lost all his law enforcement backing. He still holds endorsements from the Nassau County PBA and the New York City Uniformed Firefighters Association, per the Post. The Nassau County PBA, which represents roughly 1,750 members, endorsed Suozzi in September 2024 after having backed Republican Mazi Pilip in the February 2024 special election — its first Democratic congressional endorsement in decades, according to Newsday. Suozzi also carries the backing of the New York State AFL-CIO, which endorsed him in August and reflects broader labor support across Nassau and Queens that includes more than 30 unions and worker organizations, Hoodline reported in August.
While law enforcement endorsements have become symbolic battlegrounds on Long Island, Suozzi has continued to emphasize his bipartisan record, while LiPetri has aligned closely with GOP messaging on crime and party unity. LiPetri previously served in the New York State Assembly, according to Ballotpedia. He spoke at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9.
Money Pours In From Outside the District
The rematch has drawn heavy outside spending. A super PAC tied to Donald Trump and other Republican groups has spent about $10 million in the 2026 race to help LiPetri defeat Suozzi, the Post reports, though that funding has slowed in recent weeks. Republican outside PACs have also spent against Suozzi.
A Rematch With History on the Line
Suozzi served in the House from 2017 to 2023 before giving up his seat to run for governor in 2022, a primary he lost to Kathy Hochul. He won a February 2024 special election to reclaim the seat after George Santos was expelled from the House. Suozzi went on to defeat LiPetri by 3 percentage points in their first matchup that November, a race in which Republicans invested comparatively little.
This time, Trump carried the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Nassau's North Shore, parts of bordering Queens, and Huntington in Suffolk County, during the 2024 presidential race. Suozzi marched in the Manhattan Columbus Day Parade on October 12 as the campaign entered its final stretch. His campaign did not immediately provide comment on the Glen Cove PBA's switch, according to the Post's report, authored by Carl Campanile.
