| New Yorkers of ALL political parties are mourning the announcement on July 24 of the passing of Michael Long. Long was the Chairman of the NY State Conservative Party from 1988-2019, and his 31 years leading a political party is the longest tenure in NY State political history. Mike, a proud Marine, went to a Madison Square Garden Rally for Barry Goldwater, and the rest is history. Realizing how effective one man can be, his extensive career of service began by volunteering for Goldwater’s campaign, thus began his lengthy career in his hometown of Brooklyn. His reputation as an honest broker expanded throughout New York State and nationally regarding countless issues and elections.Long’s political career began in 1968 as a District Leader and quickly rose to Chairman of the Kings County Conservative Party in 1972. In 1974, Mike Long was elected by his colleagues as a State Vice-Chairman and in 1984 as the Executive Vice-Chairman. In 1988, Michael R. Long was elected to the position of State Chairman of the Party where he served until, he retired in February 2019, the longest serving State Chairman in the Party’s history. Mike served as Chairman of Community School Board 19 in East New York; in 1981, Long became the first registered Conservative to serve on the NYC Council. Mike served as a board member of the American Conservative Union for 27 years and in 2010 the ACU foundation presented him with “The Charlton Heston Courage Under Fire Award.” Long was a member of the Board of Directors of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn, he also served as Secretary on the Board of Trustees for Daytop Village, Inc. and was Chairman of Daytop International, as well as the past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holy Angels Academy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to name just of few of the varied ways Mike Long served his community. Mike Long, was proud of his Irish Heritage and genuinely enjoyed being honored as Grand Marshal of the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade.Mike Long engaged in numerous campaigns through the years; among the more notable are the elections of former Senator James L. Buckley (running only on the Conservative Party line), Senator Al D’Amato, Ronald Reagan (In 1980 and again in 1984, Mike Long was proud to cast his vote for President Ronald Reagan in New York’s Electoral College) and under his leadership the Conservative Party provided the margin of victory for the historic election of Republican/Conservative Governor George Pataki and Attorney General Dennis Vacco. Mike’s work in the Pro-Life movement is renowned; and received several awards for his dedication, including the Knights of Columbus Pro Patria Award, and in 2009, Mr. Long was honored as a Knight in the Order of St. Gregory the Great. Numerous candidates, political leaders and those simply interested in the future of America, their state and/or local community benefited from his heartfelt, forthright advice. “The loss of Mike Long is immeasurable. We have lost a good man, a close friend, mentor and outstanding political leader; a void for me and many has been created that cannot be filled,” said State Chairman Gerard Kassar. “The countless number of people who learned from Mike can today be found throughout the political world and will act as his legacy for many years to come.” “Mike’s leadership is legendary; if you had differences on any subject, it was never combative, it was discussed. Mike had a natural ability to lead you to his understanding of the issue, which is why he was such an effective leader,” said Shaun Marie Levine, the Party’s Executive Director. “Diogenes, a complex persona known for his searching for an honest man, would have found his honest man had he met Michael R. Long. Throughout his life, Mike certainly lived up to the Marine’s motto, Semper Fi. To say Mike will be sorely missed is an understatement; his dedication to making lives better is a loss when needed most.” The Long brothers, Mike and Thomas, were, for many years, the proprietors of Long’s Ice Cream Parlor in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn; and eventually they purchased Long’s Liquor store in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Mike and his beloved wife, Eileen, celebrated their 59th anniversary in May and are the proud parents of nine children, twenty-five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. God Bless You Mike Long, and thank you for your service to your country. |
