Tag Archives: Democratic Primary

Levittown, New York, USA. June 4, 2018. Debate between Congressional District 2 Democratic primary candidates Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory and Liuba Grechen Shirley, held by Seaford Wantagh Democratic Club at Levittown Hall.

Grechen Shirley & Gregory Debate: Rivals of ‘The King’

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (annparry.com)
June 6, 2018

Levittown, NY, USA. June 4, 2018. Debate between Congressional District 2 Democratic primary candidates Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory and Liuba Grechen Shirley, held by Seaford Wantagh Democratic Club at Levittown Hall.

Levittown, NY, USA. June 4, 2018. Debate between Congressional District 2 Democratic primary candidates Suffolk County Legislator DUWAYNE GREGORY and LIUBA GRECHEN SHIRLEY, at Levittown Hall. (© 2018 Ann Parry, AnnParry.com)

On June 26th, Democratic Primary voters in NY Congressional District 2 will determine which candidate – LIUBA GRECHEN SHIRLEY or Leg. DUWAYNE GREGORY – challenges the long-entrenched Republican incumbent in the midterm election.

Levittown, NY, USA. June 4, 2018. Candidate Liuba Grechen Shirley speaks during Congressional District 2 Democratic primary debate with Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory held by Seaford Wantagh Democratic Club at Levittown Hall. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Levittown, NY, USA. June 4, 2018. Candidate LIUBA GRECHEN SHIRLEY speaks during NY Congressional District 2 Democratic primary debate with Suffolk County Legislator DUWAYNE GREGORY at Levittown Hall. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

Community organizer, business and non-profit leader Liuba Grechen Shirley and Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory faced each other Monday, June 4, in a debate held by the Seaford Wantagh Democratic Club at Levittown Hall.

Levittown, NY, USA. June 4, 2018. Candidate Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory speaks during Congressional District 2 Democratic primary debate with Liuba Grechen Shirley held by Seaford Wantagh Democratic Club at Levittown Hall. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Levittown, NY, USA. June 4, 2018. Candidate Suffolk County Legislator DUWAYNE GREGORY speaks during NY Congressional District 2 Democratic primary debate with LIUBA GRECHEN SHIRLEY at Levittown Hall. (© 2018 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)

The two Democrats, not surprisingly, have much more in common than not, but there are differences and points they each stressed.

Gregory is the Majority Leader of the Suffolk County Legislature, where he’s been legislator for the 15th District since 2008, compared to Grechen Shirley who hasn’t held an elected office.

Grechen Shirley’s fundraising efforts have been more successful; plus, the mother of two toddlers recently gained national attention when she became the first female congressional candidate to get FEC approval to use campaign donations for childcare when she’s working on her campaign.

The following short videos – each about 5 minutes – are Gregory’s and  Grechen Shirley’s closing statements, and give insights about the candidates and the goals each would have if elected to congress:

  • VIDEO – DuWayne Gregory’s closing statement:

  • VIDEO – Liuba Grechen Shirley’s closing statement:

The candidates most forcefully voiced opposition for their Republican opponent running for his 14th term, Rep. Pete King, a politician they agreed neither reflects the values, nor serves the needs, of his constituents well.

When an audience member asked Gregory and Grechen Shirley what would happen if he or she didn’t win the June 26th primary – each promised to support the winner’s campaign to unseat King. 

[DISCLOSURE: Photography I’ve done for Grechen Shirley has appeared elsewhere, but nowhere on this blog.]

Gregory & Grechen Shirley Debate:   PHOTO GALLERY

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Hillary Clinton Panel on Gun Violence Prevention, Port Washington

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
April 13, 2016

This Monday, HILLARY CLINTON and moderator Rep. STEVE ISRAEL held a discussion on gun violence prevention, to a full house at the Landmark Theater in Port Washington. The panel included five women who each lost a relative to gun violence.

Port Washington, New York, USA. April 11, 2016. HILLARY CLINTON, Democratic presidential primary candidate, has a discussion on gun violence prevention with Rep. STEVE ISRAEL and activists who lost family members due to shootings: (L-R) RITA KESTENBAUM who lost her daughter Carol at Arizona State University; MARIE DELUS who lost her nephew Pierre-Paul Jean-Paul in Queens; ERICA LAFFERTY SMEGIELSKI who lost her mother Dawn Lafferty Hochsprungand the Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal in Newtown CT; NATASHA CHRISTOPHER who lost her 15-year-old son Akeal in Brooklyn; and SANDY PHILLIPS who lost her daughter Jessica Ghawi in Aurora, Colorado theater shooting. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Port Washington, NY, USA. April 11, 2016. HILLARY CLINTON, Democratic presidential primary candidate, and Rep. STEVE ISRAEL have panel discussion with 5 activists on gun violence prevention. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

One by one, the five activists shared – relived – their stories of loss and how they became gun control activists.

Port Washington, New York, USA. April 11, 2016. ERICA LAFFERTY SMEGIELSKI, who lost her mother Dawn Lafferty Hochsprungand, the Principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, has serious expression as she shares her personal story of loss of a loved one due to gun violence, during a discussion with Hillary Clinton and other activists on gun violence prevention. HILLARY CLINTON, the leading Democratic presidential primary candidate, called for stricter gun control legislation. Clinton had several Long Island events scheduled this day, and the New York presidential primary is April 19. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Port Washington, NY, USA. April 11, 2016. ERICA SMEGIELSKI, who lost her mother Dawn Lafferty Hochsprungand, the Principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, is a panelist on gun violence prevention discussion. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

RITA KESTENBAUM lost her daughter Carol shot at Arizona State University.

MARIE DELUS lost her nephew Pierre-Paul Jean-Paul shot in Queens, NY. 

ERICA SMEGIELSKI  lost her mother, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprungand, the Principal killed in Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT.

NATASHA CHRISTOPHER, lost her son Akeal, 15, shot in Brooklyn, NY.

SANDY PHILLIPS lost her daughter Jessica Ghawi, 24, killed in theater shooting in Aurora, CO.

Port Washington, New York, USA. 11th April 2016. HILLARY CLINTON, leading Democratic presidential primary candidate, purses her lips during a discussion on gun violence prevention with Rep. S. Israel, and with activists who lost family members due to shootings. The activists shared their stories of personal loss, and Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State and U.S. Senator from New York, called for stronger gun legislation and vowed to take on the gun lobby NRA National Rifle Association. Clinton had several Long Island events scheduled this day, and New York presidential primary is April 19. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Port Washington, NY, USA. April 11, 2016. HILLARY CLINTON, Democratic presidential primary candidate, listens during a discussion on gun violence prevention. (© 2016 Ann Parry/Ann Parry.com)

The panelists supported Clinton’s call for tougher gun control legislation and vow to take on the gun lobby – NRA National Rifle Association.

And the security screening I and other Press went through was even stricter than it was for Hillary Clinton’s Book Signing two summers ago. Monday it involved a police dog, a variety of scanning equipment, police and agents checking people and their equipment multiple times and places – and more.


  • UPDATE April 8, 2021 – President Biden announces new executive actions on gun control CNN Politics

Hillary Clinton in Port Washington:  GALLERY

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Related posts:

    • 2018/08: Gov. Cuomo Endorses Liuba Grechen Shirley for Congress
    • 2018/04: Steve Israel Brings Out His BIG GUNS on Long Island
    • 2018/03: Bellmore-Merrick Students Walkout to Protest Gun Violence: Déjà Vu