Dave Calone, a former federal and New York State prosecutor, has announced his candidacy to be the next Suffolk County executive.
Mr. Calone, a Democrat, is aiming to succeed Steve Bellone, who is term-limited and will leave office at the end of 2023. On Friday, Mr. Calone announced that his campaign is launching with almost $1 million in contributions.
The Setauket resident served as chairman of the Suffolk County Planning Commission for eight years. He co-founded the Suffolk County Forward program, an initiative to support local small businesses and workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, and served as chairman of the county’s Superstorm Sandy Review Task Force. He created the Long Island Emerging Technologies Fund to help launch new companies based on innovations at Long Island’s research institutions, and was the founding national board chairman of Patriot Boot Camp, a not-for-profit that helps veterans, active-duty service members, and military spouses start small businesses.
Mr. Calone was a candidate for his party’s nomination to challenge Representative Lee Zeldin in 2016, a nomination that was ultimately won by former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst.
“I’m running for county executive to make sure that everyone benefits from the same kind of opportunities that I have enjoyed growing up and living in Suffolk County,” he said in a statement. “I’m eager to get to work for the people of Suffolk, to enable everyone to have the chance to get a good-paying job, to protect our clean air and water, to help families afford to live here, and to create safe, thriving communities.”
