14. Michael Balboni

This four-term Republican from East Williston has always been known as a law-and-order pol, and since 9/11, has become the Senate’s point person on homeland security. He chairs the Senate’s homeland security and military affairs committee and served on the national task force convened by former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. He’s in a good position to lobby for strong protections and also to steer some homeland security contracts to LI firms.