Gold, 55, of Bellmore, is running on the Democratic, Working Families and Women’s Equality party lines. Gold grew up in Lynbrook and is a 1980 Lynbrook High School graduate. Gold has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Binghamton University. He received a degree from Fordham University School of Law. Gold is an attorney in private practice with an office in Bellmore. Gold is a former member of the Nassau County Board of Assessors and the Nassau County Civil Service Commission. He ran unsuccessfully for Town of Hempstead Council in 2003. Gold coached Bellmore Little League Baseball, and Police Athletic League soccer and basketball in his community. He is married and has two children.

Gold said he’s “a longtime homeowner, parent of children that attended Bellmore’s public schools, and a business owner/employer.” He said because of those attributes he “understands the concerns of District 19 residents.” Gold said his law firm has helped “maintain community values” in the district. He said as part of those efforts, his firm “represented the community in opposition to the Billy Dean strip club, which was prevented from opening in Wantagh.” Gold said that his firm also represented community interests four years ago in stopping a 24-hour-service White Castle restaurant from opening on Sunrise Highway in Bellmore. Gold said he uses his experience as a former member of the Nassau County Board of Assessors to run what he says is “an 11,000-person Facebook group” where he teaches people how to grieve their taxes on their own. He said that as a result of this free advice, “I have saved people fortunes.”

Rhoads, 48, of Bellmore, is running on the Republican, Conservative, Independence, Reform and Tax Revolt party lines. Rhoads grew up in Wantagh and graduated from Wantagh High School. Rhoads has a bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany, and a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law. He is an attorney in private practice in Farmingdale with the Grey & Grey law firm. Rhoads has been a volunteer firefighter with the Wantagh Fire Department for 25 years and is an ex-captain of Engine Co. No. 5. He is parishioner at St. Barnabas R.C. Church in Bellmore, and is the youth minister at St. Pius X R.C. Church in Plainview. He is married.

Rhoads said that since he won the seat in a special election two years ago, he has opposed tax and fee increases in County Executive Mangano’s budget plans each year. Rhoads said he’s also focused on overhauling the county’s contracting and procurement process by “increasing disclosure requirements, strengthening board of ethics oversight and sponsoring the law making Nassau County the first in the state to ban convicted felons from holding county office.” Building on his experience as a first responder, he’s also advocated for anti-drug abuse programs, including sponsoring training in the administration of the opioid overdose antidote Narcan. To fight opioid addiction, he said he’s seeking “legislation requiring a mandatory 72-hour in-hospital hold for evaluation and intervention on all overdose patients.” Rhoads is also running on his “ability to deliver on community projects” to the communities in his district, such as renovations at Wantagh Park and the Bellmore-Merrick Roller Hockey Rink.