27. Peter King
Last year #5
U.S. Representative
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.So basically Peter King isn't nearly as powerful as he used to be, but hey, he still does his job, so kudos from the Press..
The real point of interest is the surge by Peter King's '06 Challenger, Dave Mejias. He went up 3 spots from last year, besting Peter King by 5 places:
22. David Mejias
Last year #25
Nassau County Legislator
Don’t misconstrue this perennial Power Lister’s failed attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Peter King last year as a failure. Many thought this to be a quixotic attempt when in reality, Mejias took his shot for Congress only after fellow Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick) dropped out of the race. Within only a few months, Mejias proved to be a superb campaigner and (perhaps more importantly) a powerhouse fund-raiser. The first Latino to be elected to the Nassau County Legislature, Mejias is a valued advocate in the Hispanic community and a successful businessman with high-powered connections throughout the state.Good on Dave Mejias, I say. Really hoping for a rematch. King's going down in '08, if he gets a strong challenge, and Mejias is just the guy we need. If I were Dave, I'd be sure to rally the Hispanic Community around this race, given King's regressive and unworkable immigration positions..
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