Zeldin Challenges Bishop

MASTIC, NY (04/24/2008)(readMedia)-- The endorsed Republican candidate for Long Island’s First Congressional District today issued an open letter, challenging his presumed Democratic opponent to the first in a series of debates targeted towards “examining all sides the issues crucial to the United States and Eastern Long Island in this critical juncture of our nation’s history.”

In addition to his debate challenge, Republican candidate Lee Zeldin also urged a commitment to a clean race, devoid of “politics as usual” that have all too often sullied 21st Century American politics.

“Instead of today’s typical debates, which are basically dueling press conferences, I challenge my opponent to a dynamic debate where we will actually engage each other,” said Zeldin. “Most importantly, I want to provide our audience with a thought-provoking dialogue.”

Zeldin, a federal prosecutor and military magistrate with the U.S. Army and no stranger to speaking in public, thinks that his opponent’s background in academia lends itself to this form of debate.

“Rather than talking at one another, I want to have a conversation with my opponent,” said Zeldin. “I want to engage in a give-and-take that actually provides answers and is accountable to the taxpayers.”

In addition to the debate challenge, Zeldin also called for what he describes as a “clean race.”

“I request that my opponent address his concerns with our positions face-to-face, focusing on the issues, rather than through surrogates who attack my character,” said Zeldin. “The people of the First CD deserve a clean race and I ask that any differences of opinion my opponent has with our campaign focus on the issues, and avoid the character assassination that the Suffolk County Democratic Party leadership has already begun to employ.”

Zeldin served as an aide to State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. The Shirley resident studied at the University at Albany, graduated from Albany Law School, and earned his commission through Army ROTC. He was a paratrooper, prosecutor and magistrate with the 82nd Airborne Division and XVIII Airborne Corps. In the summer of 2006, he was a JAG attorney deployed to Iraq. He is currently an attorney at Raiser & Kenniff on Long Island.

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For more information on Lee’s campaign please visit us at www.zeldin08.com

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