Background: Foley, 29, of Hicksville, is running on the Democratic, Working Families and Women's Equality party lines. Foley is a 2007 graduate of Longwood Senior High School in Middle Island. Foley attended Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood, but he completed his associate degree in applied science-occupational development from Mountwest Community & Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia. He joined the New York Glaziers Local 1087 union in 2008, completed a four-year apprenticeship and worked as a glazier for nine years. For the last year and a half, he has worked as a union organizer with District Council 9, a group of 15 locals representing painters and allied trades. Foley has published articles in the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades journal. Foley is making his first run for public office.

Issues: Foley said that he is "a newcomer with no personal or family history in politics." He said that if elected, he will bring "a fresh perspective to governing." He added, "I know I have a lot to learn and that's why I'm out there engaging with voters by knocking on doors and attending meet-the-candidate nights." Foley said his main reason for running for public office is "the disappearance of the middle class." He said, "Long Island is becoming less and less affordable for working class people, who are either living week-to-week or forced to move." Foley said that as an Assembly member he would work to pass a public works bill, which he says would require the prevailing wage be paid on any publicly funded construction project. "The bill would alleviate workers being exploited or underpaid," Foley said. Foley said that he would also push to have a searchable online database that would allow New Yorkers to see how their tax dollars are being spent by the government. 

Background: Montesano, 64, of Glen Head, is on the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Reform party lines. He was elected to the New York State Assembly in a special election in 2010. Montesano is a member of the assembly's committees on ethics and guidance, corporations and public authorities, codes, judiciary and oversight, analysis and investigation. Montesano earned an associate degree in police science from Nassau Community College, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from St John's University and a law degree from CUNY Law School at Queens College. A former New York City police officer and detective, Montesano served as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) supervisor and investigator for the New York City Emergency Medical Service. Montesano started his own private law practice in 1990. He served as acting village justice in Roslyn Harbor, and also served as Roslyn Harbor's village prosecutor. Montesano is a former member of the North Shore School District Board of Education. He is married.

Issues: Montesano said that as an assembly member he has been "leading the fight for stronger ethics reform and time limits for committee chairs and leaders."Montesano added, "The big fight is always to bring home more funding for education, road and infrastructure repairs and funding to clean up the environment including waterways." Montesano said he has supported providing "a lot of funding to help our water districts to detect new types of contaminants in drinking water and to develop the filtration system to remove them." He added, "Funds were provided to clean up the bays, which have been re-seeded with oysters and clams to aid natural filtration." Montesano said he has co-sponsored legislation "to preserve open space throughout Long Island, including in the Pine Barrens region, to preserve what we have and try to protect our open spaces. Montesano said he "secured significant additional funding" to expand treatment and education to combat the opioid epidemic and for law enforcement "to detect and investigate MS-13 gang activity."