."Friends, comrades, fellow Democratic Socialists!

I'm Kevin Shea, and I'm a candidate for Riverhead Town Council.

I know why you're here. You're here for the same reason I am: to fight for a more just and equitable world. And I know your eyes are on New York City, on the incredible campaign of Zohran Mamdani, a campaign that is shining a light on our shared principles and proving that a real progressive movement is possible.

And while the bright lights of the city are on him, I want to talk to you about a battle that is happening right here, in our own backyard, in a place that feels a world away from the city's streets, but where the same principles are on the line. I'm talking about Riverhead. A community of 36,000 residents. Also called Riverhood, and Trump-land. For me and my fellow residents, Riverhead is a community that has been burdened for far too long. As a town council member, my focus is on the health and public safety of those 36,000 residents, above all. What matters most for our generation, and future generations to come, is progressive government NOW that focuses on climate preservation and looks ahead.

As a 9/11 first responder, and a retired New York City firefighter, I have spent my life working to better my community. I'm well-known in Riverhead as a hard-working and gentle citizen. But I'm not going to lie—this is an uphill fight. I'm running to unseat a multiple-term incumbent, and I'm running against an all Republican-controlled board and administration.

but that's a fight I know we can win.

This campaign, like Mamdani's, is about a fundamental belief: the hope that government should serve the people, not just a powerful few. It's about affordability, because working families and senior citizens in Riverhead are being priced out of the community they built. The young and hopeful don't have living wages or affordable property. It's about smarter development, because we need a Town that grows with us, not over us. And it's about protecting our natural resources, because our water, air, and land is not a commodity to be exploited, but an entity to be cherished.

These are not just my principles; they are our principles. They are the principles of the Democratic Socialists and the Working Families Party, both of whom have endorsed my campaign. They are the principles that fuel Mamdani's campaign in the city and my campaign right here.

I can't do this alone. A one-person campaign is a monologue, but a winning campaign is a chorus. I need your voices. I need your energy. I need you to knock on doors, to make calls, to talk to your neighbors and friends. I know that the glamour of a city-wide race is intoxicating, but the real work, the work that changes lives, happens on the ground, in our communities, one conversation at a time.

So while you're inspired by the fight in the city, I ask you to join the fight in Riverhead. Let's show the world that our movement is not confined to one place or one person. Let's prove that our principles are universal, that our commitment is unwavering, and that when we work together, we can build a better world, one town at a time.

The election is November 4th.

Thank you. Now let's get to work.- Kevin Shea