Candidate: Legislator Manuel Esteban, Sr.
Residence: East Northport
Office: Suffolk County Legislature District Sixteen
First Elected: November 2021
Committees: Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services & Preparedness (Vice-Chair); Government Operations, Personnel, IT & Diversity; Health; Ways & Means
Party Endorsements: Republican, Conservative
Legislator Manuel (Manny) Esteban, Sr., famously became the eleventh member of the Republican caucus in the Legislature in 2021 after upsetting then-Deputy Presiding Officer Susan Berland (D) by a one-point margin – about 150 votes out of nearly 13,000 ballots cast.
According to Legislator Esteban’s profile on the Suffolk County Legislature website: “Esteban is a lawyer licensed in New York, New Jersey, and U.S. District Courts. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree, with the honors of three CALI awards, from Touro Law Center in Central Islip. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, from The City University of New York having completed course work at Baruch and Hunter Colleges. Legislator Esteban also has a Certificate in Fundraising with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from New York University Heyman School of Philanthropy and has completed leadership training at Notre Dame University Mendoza School of Business.”
Esteban was born in Queens to immigrant parents from Cuba and Colombia. Esteban is the first Hispanic-American Legislator elected from the Sixteenth District. He is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Esteban is also an Eagle Scout and currently serves as an Eagle Scout leader in East Northport. He was awarded the Excellence in Community Service Award by Con Edison, and he has received recognition from United States Presidents and Vice-Presidents for his service to his community.
Legislator Esteban also is a former ambulance dispatcher, first responder, and lifeguard. He is also a published poet, NYC Marathon finisher, and has completed in the NYC and Montauk Triathlons. He resides in East Northport with his wife Mercedes and their seven children.
Sponsored Legislation (Including, but not limited to):
- Resolution No. 729-2022, Amending the 2022 Operating Budget to provide funding for the Suffolk County Police Department to implement the ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection System
- Resolution No. 325-2022, Adopting Local Law N0. 22-2022, a local law amending section A18-3 of the Suffolk County Administrative Code regarding fees for instruments presented for recording or filing to the County Clerk
- RESOLUTION NO. 219-2023, Approving county funding for a contract agency (East Northport Chamber of Commerce)
- RESOLUTION NO. 220-2023, Approving county funding for a contract agency (East Northport Chamber of Commerce)
Candidate: Rebecca Sanin
Residence: Huntington Station
Office Sought: Suffolk County Legislature District Sixteen
Prior Elected Experience: None
Party Endorsements: Democratic, Working Families
Rebecca Sanin only jumped into the race for the Sixteenth District about two weeks ago. Legislator Esteban’s opponent, Sidney Joyner (D), was taken off the ballot after a lawsuit alleged that he did not live in the district. Pursuant to the County Charter, a candidate for County Legislature must reside in the district they wish to represent for at least one year before running for the election.
Joyner said that he did live in the district until the boundaries changed this year following redistricting after the Census. While Joyner believes the judge erred in his decision, he did not appeal.
Democrats scrambled to get a candidate on the ballot for this year’s election in what is easily considered the most competitive district in Suffolk County this year. Rebecca Sanin, who unsuccessfully ran for Huntington Town Supervisor in 2021, was unanimously selected by the Suffolk County Democratic Party’s executive committee.
Sanin, according to her campaign website, is an “energized and forward-thinking executive” who is “passionate about innovative ideas that improve how local government can make a difference in families’ lives in the Town of Huntington. She has been a local advocate, dedicated public servant, and enthusiastic leader committed to solving local issues and driving progress in her hometown and across Long Island.”
Sanin is currently the President and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), a “network of nonprofit agencies, individuals, and corporations who come together to address our region’s challenges and create innovative and systemic solutions.” According to the HWCLI website: “We can set the standard for what an equitable region looks like. That means safe communities, decent, affordable housing, healthy food, access to care and an opportunity to thrive.”
Sanin also served as a Deputy County Executive to Steve Bellone (D-West Babylon).
According to her campaign website, Sanin served as a deputy for five years. She “oversaw the multi-faceted constituent service response to Superstorm Sandy and helped lead the performance management team that worked to modernize county government. Rebecca also chaired the task force dedicated to preventing family violence and took the lead on improving policies for Suffolk employees on sexual harassment, discrimination and workplace violence.”
About the Sixteenth District
Suffolk County’s Sixteenth District is one of the most diverse districts in the county, as well as one of the most competitive. Represented by Steve Stern (D) from 2006 to 2018 and later Deputy Presiding Officer Susan Berland (D) from 2018 to 2022, Legislator Esteban is the first Republican to represent this district in twenty years.
Although reliably Democratic, the margins were not as blue here as they usually are in nearby areas, such as Brentwood and most of the Town of Babylon. Berland won by eleven and nine points in her 2017 and 2019 elections, respectively, only to be narrowly ousted by Esteban in the 2021 red wave.
The horseshoe-shaped Sixteenth District spans across central Huntington, the northeast corner of Babylon, and the northwest part of Islip. In Huntington, it includes West Hills, South Huntington, Huntington Station, and Elwood. In Babylon, the district includes a small portion of Deer Park, and in Islip, it encompasses a portion of Brentwood.
The district includes a mix of diverse communities from Brentwood and parts of Huntington, as well as upper-middle class neighborhoods and working-class towns. A true swing district, this one will be one of the most-watched races on election night this year.
The Messenger currently forecasts this race as “Toss Up,” although the late candidate shakeup on the Democratic side leads us to believe Esteban might have a slight advantage. Had Democrats been able to run a relentless campaign without a hiccup, we might be inclined to think Joyner would have had the upper hand at this point in the race. However, the interruption during the September rush and Esteban’s incumbency advantage might insulate him from a defeat. Esteban is likely headed to another razor-thin contest against Sanin, but we would not be surprised if he is the only GOP incumbent in Suffolk County to lose re-election this year.
In short, Esteban is not out of the race by any stretch of the imagination, but it could certainly go either way.
