I will always put Long Island first.
I will always put Long Island first.
Occurrences
Evidence
Gillen said she was guided by the campaign promise that she would "always put Long Island first" and described her first weeks in Congress as focused on Nassau County concerns.
In her first House-floor remarks, Gillen said she was ready to work on issues that matter most to Long Island, including cost of living, border security, and restoring the SALT deduction.
Gillen joined a New York delegation letter urging repeal of the SALT cap and said she immediately called on House and Senate leadership to begin negotiations and co-sponsored the SALT Deductibility Act.
Gillen announced more than $3.2 million in FY2026 community project funding for Nassau County, including water infrastructure and police security-camera projects in Long Beach, Rockville Centre, and Hempstead.
The House passed the Laken Riley Act on Jan. 7, 2025; Gillen later cited this as her first act in office and as part of her commitment to priorities affecting Long Island constituents.
Assessments
The promise is broad and ongoing, so it cannot be conclusively marked fully delivered based on discrete actions. The evidence shows same-term actions consistent with prioritizing Long Island, including early floor remarks focused on Long Island issues, a push on SALT repeal, and secured community project funding for Nassau County. However, these examples do not prove the universal claim that she would always put Long Island first, and some cited efforts, such as SALT repeal, had not achieved the promised policy result. A partial rating best reflects tangible aligned action without full fulfillment of the broad pledge.