Jeanine Driscoll, the Town of Hempstead’s receiver of taxes, is running for Congress in New York’s 4th Congressional District, entering a crowded Republican primary field as GOP candidates across Nassau County launch campaigns targeting Democratic incumbents on taxes, affordability and public safety.
Driscoll announced Tuesday, April 14, that she’s positioning herself as a “proven tax fighter” ready to take on Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen. Former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who had spent months weighing a return bid after losing the seat in 2024, won’t enter the race, Republican officials confirmed the same day.
“As Receiver of Taxes for the Town of Hempstead, I have spent my career helping families keep more of their hard-earned money,” Driscoll said. “In Congress, I will continue that fight, standing up for taxpayers, seniors, veterans, and working families who are being crushed by rising costs and out-of-touch policies.”
That’s a direct shot at Gillen’s record. Driscoll’s campaign rollout leaned heavily on her work modernizing tax collection systems in Hempstead and expanding access to property tax exemptions for seniors, veterans and other qualifying residents.
“The choice in this election could not be clearer,” Driscoll said. “I am running to deliver real, meaningful tax relief and to make life more affordable for Long Islanders. My opponent’s record speaks for itself, higher taxes, fewer opportunities, and policies that hurt the very people we should be helping.”
The 4th District primary field is already packed. On the Republican side, Driscoll joins Martin Suber Williams, Martin Smithmyer, Brian Miller and Dennis McGrath. Democrats running include Gillen, Kiana Bierria-Anderson, Taylor Darling, Gian Jones, Frank Lozada and Nicholas Sciretta. The primary is set for June 23.
Party officials say the general election is expected to be closely watched in a competitive suburban district where property taxes, housing costs and federal tax policy will dominate the conversation.
The congressional race isn’t the only contest heating up. In Nassau County’s state legislative contests, David Hassid announced his campaign for the 16th State Assembly District, running on affordability and public safety while criticizing Albany lawmakers for drifting away from suburban concerns. Hassid currently works as a legislative aide in the Town of North Hempstead, where he serves under North Hempstead Council Member Yaron Levy.
Hassid said Albany lawmakers have “lost touch with the needs of suburban communities.” It’s a message Long Island Republicans have used successfully in past cycles, and it fits the current moment. Nassau County homeowners paid some of the highest effective property tax rates in New York State, and frustration over costs runs deep heading into the spring campaign season.
The breadth of the Republican candidate announcements, spanning congressional, State Assembly and State Senate races, shows early organizing by Nassau County GOP leadership ahead of the June 23 primary. Political observers watching New York’s competitive suburban districts say the party is moving quickly to recruit candidates with direct local government experience rather than first-time political outsiders.
Driscoll fits that profile precisely. She’s held elected office in Hempstead, dealt with property tax administration day-to-day, and can point to concrete changes she made to the system. That’s a different biography than a candidate who shows up with talking points and no track record.
The June 23 primary will thin the field on both sides. What comes next is a general election fight in a Nassau County district where the margins are tight, the voters are cost-conscious, and every percentage point counts.
It won’t be easy. According to initial reporting, the announcements reflect an early and active reshaping of the GOP field ahead of what party officials expect to be a competitive cycle across Nassau and surrounding districts.
Driscoll’s closing argument, at least for now, is simple: she knows where Long Islanders’ money goes because she’s spent years tracking it.