Two years ago, there was a nail-biter in the Rockaways with Democrat Stacey Pheffer Amato barely reelected to the state Assembly, beating her Republican challenger, Tom Sullivan, by just 15 votes. 

Now, the two candidates are squaring off once again in a competitive rematch. 

Pheffer Amato sits in the seat previously occupied by her mother, former Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer, who is now Queens County Clerk. 

“Government should work for its people,” she told NY1. “I really feel confident about this election in that we’ve done the work and that our community knows who represents them.”

Now, she’s getting a rematch from Sullivan. He’s a Breezy Point Republican who served in the Army Reserves. 

“I’ve done three deployments, to places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. You know, I built my leadership and my character through that profession for 30 years. I understand the sacrifices,” he said. 

After Election Day in 2022, he was up in the vote count.

But after a recount and lawsuit, Pheffer Amato won by just 15 votes. 

“Democrats have a supermajority in the Assembly and the Senate. They could turn this cash bail law around. They talk about amendments — they’ve amended two, three times now, but we still have the same issues!” he said.

State Assembly District 23 in Queens covers parts of Howard Beach and most of the Rockaways.

It’s home to municipal workers, including many in the NYPD and FDNY. Many were 9/11 first responders. 

 “We’ve all lost friends and family from the 9/11 attacks. So coming into office, I made sure that was a priority. And have passed legislation that in every school, you have to acknowledge a moment of silence, reflection,” Pheffer Amato said. 

Democrats have an enrollment advantage, with over 43,000 registered voters, compared to around 17,000 Republicans.

Still another 17,000 voters are unaffiliated, according to New York State Board of Elections data.  

The migrant crisis is a hot issue.

“It’s sucking all the money out of Albany, $2.4 billion dollars and that money could’ve been used for other things, like supporting our small businesses, more law enforcement,” Sullivan said.

Especially the massive city-run shelter at Floyd Bennett Field. Although not in the district, it’s just across the Gil Hodges bridge.

Pheffer Amato took out a campaign ad blasting state spending on the topic.

“When the governor sent down a plan to spend two billion dollars on the migrant crisis, I said this is nuts! And voted no. We’ve got classrooms in Queens that need funding, seniors that need help,” she said in the 30-second spot.

Sullivan is focused on small businesses.

“This should be a destination for families, kids, adults to come down here and ice cream or visit this gift shop, but we have some issues with mental illness, homeless, some criminal elements,” he said.

Pheffer Amato said homeowners are concerned about affordability. 

“The city raising the water bills [at] this time,” she said. “Things are expensive. We all know that. But raising the water bills up to 16% in two years? That’s insane.”

The pair agrees: congestion pricing should not be revived. 

“Delivery drivers for all your restaurants, all your storefronts: they have to pay those fees! Those fees are going to get passed on to the consumer,” Sullivan explained.

“The governor shutting it down was the right thing to do,” Pheffer Amato said.