MONTICELO – Mike Sapraicone, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, travelled to Monticello on Friday to energize his party faithful and let them know he is listening.

“I want to reach out to the people and get out and listen,” Sapraicone, who is a retired NYPD detective, said. “I want to work together to make this a better state and bring industry back.”

Sapraicone said he has visited all 62 counties in the state and said his opponent, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who has been in office since 2009, is missing the mark.

“Where has she been the last 15 years?” Sapraicone said. “I’ve never seen her. I worry about our children. How are they going to buy a house? How are they going to keep that house?

“I see industry leaving and I want to ask, how do we bring it back?” he said.

Sullivan County Republican Party Chairman Greg Goldstein said Sapraicone has already received their endorsement.

“He’s amazing,” Goldstein said. “We need a fresh face in Washington and he’s commited to law enforcement.

“I think it’s [Sapraicone’s law enforcement background] great,” Goldstein said. “Unfortunately, that’s what we need.

“And we need a little more assistance upstate,” Goldstein said. 

Sapraicone has lived on Long Island for 32 years and currently resides in the Town of Oyster Bay with is wife Eileen. Sapraicone is the father of five children and has five grandchildren.