Martinez seeking reelection in Senate District 4

Monica Martinez is running for reelection in Senate District 4, which includes parts of the Town of Islip. Martinez, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, is facing challenger Teresa Bryant, who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.

A former social studies teacher and assistant middle school principal in the Brentwood School District, Martinez served in the Suffolk County Legislature for five years before being elected to the state Senate in 2018.

Education, public safety, protecting the environment and making Long Island more affordable are among Martinez’s priorities.

As a Suffolk County legislator, she chaired the legislature’s Public Safety Commission and sponsored legislation creating the Suffolk County Childcare Commission.

As a state senator, she and assemblyman Fred Thiele sponsored the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act. Suffolk County voters will vote on Nov. 5, whether to approve a one-eighth of one percent increase in the county sales tax to fund sewer expansion and replace aging septic systems that leak nitrates into Long Island’s aquifer and waterways.

Martinez assembled a broad coalition including Republicans, environmental groups, labor and others to get the initiative, which Martinez called “an investment in water quality” on the ballot.

Martinez’s efforts were recognized by Save the Great South Bay, which awarded her the group’s Pearl Environmental Stewardship Award.

Given her background in education, Martinez has fought efforts to reduce state funding for education and has helped secure more money for libraries.

“Education should never be on the chopping block,” Martinez said in an interview. She helped get a $750,000 annual appropriation included in the state budget for pre-Kindergarten programs on Long Island.

In the most recent session of the state legislature, Martinez helped secure more than $410,000 in infrastructure grants for libraries in Babylon, Deer Park, West Babylon and West Islip.

Public safety has been another of Martinez’s priorities. She sponsored legislation to increase the tax credit for active volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers and secured grants to expand Suffolk’s Police Athletic League youth programs and for security cameras at the Brentwood LIRR station.

Martinez, who chairs the Senate’s Local Government Committee, said her approach as a legislator has been to work across the aisle to achieve what she called “meaningful results.”

As the only Democratic senator from Suffolk County on the Senate Majority Conference, Martinez said she works closely with Republican state senators from Suffolk to bring their concerns and issues before the conference.

Martinez is a graduate of Brentwood High School and holds a B.A. in history from Binghamton University, a master’s degree in secondary education from New York University, and an administrative degree from Stony Brook University.

For more information visit: monicaforny.com 

Teresa Bryant challenging Martinez in Senate District 4

Dr. Teresa Bryant is the Republican and Conservative party candidate for state Senate in District 4, which includes parts of the town of Islip.

Bryant is a licensed registered nurse and holds a doctoral degree in psychology. She is running against incumbent Monica Martinez, who is the candidate of the Democratic and Working Families parties.

Bryant could not be reached for comment, but her campaign website describes her as “a distinguished businesswoman whose professional and civic contributions have left an indelible mark on our community.”

Bryant, who worked for the Suffolk County Department of Social Services as a medical services specialist, has long been active in the community with organizations including the Rotary Club of Islip, Central Islip Islandia Rotary Club, Islip NAACP and Central Islip Civic Council.

Bryant has also been active with the Central Islip School District, including serving on the board of the Safe and Drug-Free School Committee and boards on special education and truancy.

“I always say I’m in the heart of the community and put the community at heart,” Bryant told the Suffolk County News in 2023 when she ran for the Suffolk County Legislature. “This is what I do. It’s a part of who I am. It’s in my genetic makeup.”

According to Bryant’s website, “Her vision for New York’s Senate District 4 is one of comprehensive improvement, focusing on enhancing quality of life, addressing mental health and homelessness, supporting law enforcement and small businesses, advocating for educational support, and bolstering community safety and infrastructure.”

“As a candidate for NYS Senate District 4, I believe every resident deserves to have their voice heard,” Bryant said on her website. “I have the expertise and knowledge to understand the complexities of our community and ensure that everyone’s voices are represented. I care deeply about the issues that impact our community, and I know that we can make a difference together.”

For more information visit: bryantforsenate.com