Farzeen Bham, a 23-year-old Coram resident who says he wants to devote his career to public service, has entered the race as a Democrat for New York’s First Senate District seat now held by three-term incumbent Republican Anthony Palumbo of New Suffolk.
Bham said in a phone interview Monday night that affordability, health care, environmental protection and accountable representation are central to his campaign. He said he wants to push Albany to deliver more funding for Long Island. “I feel like we’re not getting what we are entitled to,” he said.
Bham grew up in Coram, graduated from Longwood High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Stony Brook University, he said. He is one of four children of immigrant parents and raised by a single mother, who is a social worker, he said.
On housing costs, Bham said it is increasingly difficult for young adults and older residents alike to remain on Long Island, contributing to an outflow of longtime community members. “It’s very difficult to have generations of people living here,” he said.
On health care, Bham said he supports the New York Health Act and argues health care should be treated as a right. “We must provide comprehensive care for all New Yorkers,” he said.
He also said environmental protection should be a priority, especially efforts to prevent coastal erosion.
Bham said he works as a paralegal handling medical malpractice cases and is drawn to helping people recover damages for harm they’ve suffered. He said he was inspired by President Barack Obama’s message on public service.
He is the only declared candidate in the race so far. Bham said he has reached out to the Democratic committees in the towns of the First Senate District, as well as the Suffolk County Democratic Committee about his candidacy.
He has previously run for office, including a 2022 State Senate bid in the Third Senate District, under different district lines, and a 2021 run for the Longwood school board, he said.
Palumbo, a Republican, is a former state Assembly member and former Suffolk County prosecutor. He was first elected to the Senate seat in 2020, succeeding longtime senator Ken LaValle, and has since won re-election in 2022 and 2024. State senators serve two-year terms.
Asked about broader political issues, Bham said he supports abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and described the police shooting of Renee Good as a murder.
“This race is about focusing on issues and helping the residents,” he said. “I’ve always been a positive person.”
The First Senate District includes parts of the Town of Brookhaven, as well as the towns of Riverhead, Southampton, East Hampton, Shelter Island and Southold.
The term of a state senator is two years, with no term limit. The base salary for the position is $142,000 annually. Legislators also receive a per diem allowance for expenses and mileage reimbursement.
The State Senate has 63 seats. The Democratic Party has held control of the senate since 2019. The current political makeup of the chamber is 41 Democrats and 22 Republicans.
Correction: This article has been amended to correct the misspelling of Farzeen Bham’s name.
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