A former Suffolk police officer is facing a former state senator in the Democratic primary for Suffolk County's newly realigned 4th Senate District.

Phil Ramos says he came from humble beginnings, loved to skateboard and became a police officer in Suffolk County after graduating Brentwood High School.

He says for the past 20 years he has been serving his community as an assemblyman.

He says he has secured $2 million for a water park in Clemente Park that had been contaminated and $14 million for the Brentwood State Park, which he says used to be woods with garbage.

"So, I secure state money to resolve many of these issues," Ramos says. "I voted in favor of gun control, investment in local downtowns and put people before politics."

His opponent, Monica Martinez, was elected as state senator for District 3 in 2018 and served until 2020.

She says she feels that the area of 300,000 people from the newly aligned district has been underrepresented.

Martinez says she wants to ensure women are protected in the state of New York, that schools have appropriate funding and that the waterways and environment are protected.

"I have delivered in the past, and I will deliver again," Martinez says.

The newly realigned District 4 is 70% Latino.

Some residents believe that the two candidates should be working together instead of apart because they are both great people.