28. Jon Cooper

Known as one of Suffolk’s most effective Democratic legislators, Cooper manages to get bills passed with broad bipartisan support, while still sponsoring no-
chance legislation that solidifies his progressive base. He is so beloved by Suffolk’s liberals that he can even cross them on occasion—by pushing for cameras in high-crime areas of Huntington Station, for example. While he didn’t want the nomination, the fact that Cooper’s name was bandied about last fall as a possible challenger for Republican Sen. Carl Marcellino is quite an accomplishment for LI’s only openly gay legislator.