Candidate: Legislator Chad Lennon
Residence: Rocky Point
Office: Suffolk County Legislature, District Six
Elected: 2023
Party Endorsements: Conservative, Republican
Chad Lennon flipped an open seat red in 2023, succeeding term-limited Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mt. Sinai) by defeating her chief of staff Dorothy Cavalier (D-Mt. Sinai). Lennon is running for a second full term.
The Messenger sat down with Legislator Lennon for a one-on-one-interview.
Q: What is your professional background and how does it equip you for the Legislature?
A: I’m a lawyer with a speciality in criminal, Veterans, and military law. I’ve worked with military Veterans, I’ve worked for the federal government, and I was appointed Director of the Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic at Touro Law in 2019.
My first job was in Maryland working criminal defense. I’m certified to practice law in both Maryland and New York. I was also a prosecutor with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
I was a Marine for fifteen years, active-duty for four. I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, led over fifty combat missions, and received a Purple Heart. I left active-duty in 2012 and I’ve been a reservist since then with the rank of Major. I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in August. I’ve worked at the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon and on the Lieutenant Colonel Promotion Board.
I work part-time as a Congressional aide to Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville). I was also a special assistant for Veterans Affairs for Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk).
Q: What are some of your accomplishments for the Sixth District in the last two years?
A: I’ve been working on Patchogue-Mt. Sinai Road (CR-83), mostly about the high traffic speeds. I’ve worked with the SCPD Precinct to control speed, and we’re already seeing more people being pulled over. That issue is being pushed. I’m looking for funds in a future budget for a permanent speed sign to be put in. I think we’ve seen an improvement in the County roads in the last couple of years. Resolutions have come up to sustain and improve our roads; I’ve co-sponsored those measures and they have passed.
I’ve also been bringing programs to constituents, such as the small seminar businesses, choices and consequences for kids still in school, senior scams – which is really for everyone – and I’ve hosted a number of blood drives that has included myself and my staff donating blood. We’ve done so at every opportunity. I’ve also hosted roundtables with the civics and chambers to work together. The first civic roundtable was very fruitful. The civics were talking not just to me, but to each other. There’s been lots of collaboration going on.
Whenever we get calls on specific issues, we always look into it, such as people who need help with the redemption of homes. If folks have town, state, or federal issues, we put them in touch with their counterparts. Even if it’s not an answer they like, they at least get an answer from us.
Q: What are some of your accomplishments for the County at-large in the last two years?
A: I’ve been very persistent on the human trafficking issue. From the time I started knocking on doors, this was one of the issues some people didn’t know a lot about, mainly sex and labor trafficking. Sex trafficking is such a problem, we have a dedicated court for this. Both young boys and girls are being trafficked, but the majority of adults being trafficked in Suffolk County are women. I’ve been working with my partners at the Legislature and held presentations with the sheriffs and law enforcement to get that information to the other legislators. This ties into Town issues where we’ve heard of illegal parties. The traffickers come out and knock on doors, if a guy answers, they bring a couple young girls in. We’ve also worked on shutting down these illegal massage parlors. We’ve worked with Town and County partners on this, as well as General Counsel. I anticipate this issue to be laid on the table for the next meeting to digitize records for hotel-motel issues. This would make it easier for the District Attorney and law enforcement to catch human traffickers. We got the human trafficking court back up in district court, and a separate court for kids.
I’ve also maintained a fiscally sound perspective. When we’re looking at projects, we ask if we are getting a return on investment and if we’re being smart with our money to get the most bang for our buck.
I also sponsored legislation to dedicate September 22 as Veterans Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day, as well as one to have Suffolk County recognize the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance flag.
I’m the only Veteran on the Legislature. I’m a unique voice for the community. I am continuing to look at housing. The average cost of a house in Suffolk is $700,000. A person or family needs $140,000 to make a downpayment. I want to work with the County Clerk’s office to look at this. We’ve heard about BlackRock scooping up homes. There’s a difference between forming an LLC to protect a home, but are some of these LLCs shell companies? How many residences are owned by businesses? This is not sustainable. If the price of my home doubles in eight years, are Suffolk homes going to turn into Queens-priced homes? How could people say no to an offer of $200,000 above asking price for their home? And if the cost of homes does come down, people are going to be stuck with lost equity. I don’t want to see either of those happen.
Q: You, along with twelve other Legislators, voted to sue the state over the even-year election law. Explain your stance.
A: That law is partisan politics. Governor Kathy Hochul (D) wants to stack votes, thinking Democrats will vote blue across the board. It doesn’t save money. Judges are up for re-election every November. The law doesn’t pertain to New York City, as well as District Attorneys, Sheriffs, school board and budget, and library board and budget votes. We’re still having elections every November. It’s cherry picking. The cost is still going to stay the same each year. It actually might even go up each year. Suffolk Legislators will have to resign and run in special elections, which will cost more money. The governor is trying to overreach in her jurisdiction. This is just like when she pitched her housing plan, going over the municipalities. Voters want term limits and she is playing games with term limits. We now have to increase our term limits so we don’t have these resignations and special elections mid-term.
Q: What’s your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
A: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Q: How do you like to connect with your community
A: I love going out with my family – parks, movies, and even the grocery stores. I’m no different than anyone else just because I’m an elected official. I have the same taxes, bills, and errands as everyone else. I’m a constituent too. I recently called up the Town of Brookhaven with a problem and they took care of it. I’m a constituent to myself. I’ve got some of the same issues as someone else. The only difference between me and anyone else is that I was elected.
The Messenger thanks Legislator Lennon for his time for this interview.
About the Sixth District
The Sixth Legislative District includes East Shoreham, Miller Place, Ridge, Rocky Point, Shoreham, Sound Beach, Upton, Yaphank, and parts of Coram, Middle Island, and Mount Sinai.
Lennon flipped this seat red in 2023, marking the first time a Republican had won this seat since Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham) – now Brookhaven Highway Superintendent – won his final term in 2011.
Lennon faces Kevin B. O’Shaughnessy (D-Miller Place), who is not actively campaigning.
