27. Peter King

Since the Democrats won the House of Representatives last November, this Republican congressman representing South Nassau lost his seat as chair of the Homeland Security Committee, a significant blow to the clout he once held. But King is still a seasoned lawmaker nonetheless. Among his most notable achievements is securing funding for the Long Island Rail Road’s East Side Access project, which is still years away, but will save many commuters about a half hour daily once completed. Sure, he’s a polarizing figure who doesn’t let criticism roll off as easy as some, but he is still on the committee he once chaired and lobbies for more security funding for the region.