Thank you for taking the time to visit my campaign website and learn more about me. I know a lot of what you’ll read here is about my story — but the truth is, this campaign isn’t just about me. It’s about you, and every family in our community who’s been working hard, playing by the rules, and still feeling like nobody in government is really listening.
For the fifteen years I’ve called the Town of Islip home, I’ve heard the same concerns from neighbors across every hamlet and every political background: everything is getting too expensive, and no one feels heard. That’s why I decided to run. For too long, the same politicians have held office, promising the same “experience” and delivering the same results — year after year, nothing really changes. And when you’re working paycheck to paycheck, drowning in student loans, struggling to afford your rent or mortgage, or one medical bill away from financial disaster, you don’t need small tweaks. You need bold change.
As a working mom of four — two with special needs — I understand how hard it is to raise a family here. I know what it feels like to fight for every resource, to stretch every dollar, and to feel like the system just isn’t designed for families like ours. That’s why I’m running: to make Suffolk more affordable, to put working families first, and to deliver the kind of bold policies that give us all room to breathe and build a better future.
I was born and raised on Long Island’s South Shore, and this is where I’m raising my own kids — with the hope that one day they can raise their families here too. Together, we can make that possible for everyone. If I have the privilege to serve as your Legislator, the needs of you and your family will always be at the heart of everything I do.
I look forward to meeting you on the campaign trail and hearing your story.
Thank you,
Leigh‑Ann Barde
