Suozzi deserves our support in New York

The 3rd Congressional District of New York has consistently valued proven leadership — with the glaring exception of George Santos. Luckily for the people of Long Island and SMART-TD members in particular, we have an opportunity to right the ship in February.

Our union has an ally in this race with a proven track record of serving the district and our membership with consistency. Congressman Tom Suozzi is a known commodity in Long Island. We remember him over his six years in Congress that highlighted his advocacy for nationwide two-person crew legislation and for his role championing the Long Island Rail Road in Washington.

Suozzi has been a personal friend of SMART-TD Alternate Vice President and General Chairperson Anthony Simon for nearly two decades. While in office, Suozzi has a track record of consulting with Simon and your union on a regular basis using our organization as his sounding board for every decision and vote he made affecting the transportation industry.

Your union has rarely, if ever, had a better advocate. Suozzi has brought funding to both the subway and LIRR, among other projects, that have benefited our members.

Now he needs our help. We owe it to ourselves to bring consistent and reliable leadership back to Long Island’s 3rd Congressional District. Not only does Congressman Suozzi need our support Feb. 13, but he has arranged for all organized labor to show the world who he serves and why. Suozzi and his campaign are asking Long Islanders in the labor movement to take advantage of their ability to vote early and do it on the same day (Feb. 3) so that they can use the vote totals from that day to demonstrate our collective power.

SMART-TD and Simon are asking for your support. All members of our union and other labor organizations have been informed that Congressman Suozzi’s campaign is asking our men and women to cast their ballots at their local early voting locations on Feb. 3.

The goal is to show a noticeable spike on what they are calling Labor Votes Day and put Washington on notice that Representative Suozzi is coming back to Capitol Hill with a clear, distinct mandate that he is there to represent labor and our interest.

There are rallies for the congressman planned in multiple locations on Feb. 3 aimed at rallying labor and getting our collective voice heard that day. More information will be provided on these events as we get closer.

Please do your due diligence as a SMART member and as an American, and double check that your voter registration is up to date and that you know where your early voting location is. This is our moment to return sanity to New York’s 3rd Congressional District and to return a champion for our union to Washington!