There was heated rhetoric in a Suffolk congressional race, where U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s Democratic challenger said Friday that the congressman is missing in action while Trump blocks Gov. Kathy Hochul’s request for disaster recovery aid — though Garbarino’s office said Hochul hasn't reached out for help.

But Garbarino’s challenger, former Suffolk County Executive Patrick Halpin, 73, of Oak Beach, says the political analysts are falling behind what is happening on the ground. As Trump’s approval numbers are falling into the low 30s within the district, he says, the tide is turning on the South Shore.

"Long Islanders want their elected leaders to lower costs, fix Social Security, provide affordable healthcare, ensure their safety, and deliver clean air and safe drinking water," Halpin says.

But Halpin went on to blast Suozzi — as well as Garbarino and LaLota — for their non-endorsement pact and "wanting to sing Kumbaya together while the middle class is getting hit right and left."

Halpin also ridiculed the Problem Solvers as a group with no history of real legislative or other accomplishments, beyond, he said, being a "fig leaf" for its MAGA members to claim bipartisanship, with the cooperation of Suozzi and other Democrats.

Ex-Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin is jumping back into the political ring to take on “Sleepy Drew’’ Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who famously dozed through a vote on President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.

Long Island Rep. Andrew Garbarino finds himself in a hot seat as chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security...Halpin, in an interview Tuesday, reiterated his video’s message by saying safe borders and streets are needed, but that sending armies of masked ICE agents into cities with minimal training and zero accountability has gone terribly wrong, and "our congressman is complicit."