2. Thomas Suozzi

To say Suozzi is sitting pretty in the run-up to the November election is an understatement. He goes into his next campaign with high approval ratings, big money in the bank, a crack team of handlers, passionate supporters, and an uncanny sense of how political issues play with voters. The “Fix Albany” movement is a perfect illustration of how masterfully Suozzi mixes politics and policy; Albany is dysfunctional and by saying it louder than anybody else, Suozzi won the public’s respect as a reformer. He may even deserve some credit for scaring legislators into passing an on- time budget. The question is, what will all of this clout- building mean for Long Islanders? Will he propel his grand vision of the Nassau HUB into being? Will he make real progress toward building workforce housing, capping Medicaid and limiting sprawl? Or will he simply use Long Island as a springboard to run for governor in 2006? Whatever he decides, rest assured that Suozzi will remain a dominant political force on Long Island.