Irish Americans are being invited by the Irish Echo to throw their weight behind New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli ahead of the primary and full elections this year.
Readers can add their names to the Irish Echo's endorsement of Comptroller DiNapoli on our online page.
Appointed to the post of Comptroller when serving in the New York State Assembly in 2009, Tom DiNapoli has successfully fought statewide elections in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022, seeing off a series of Republican opponents. This year marks the first time he will face a challenger in the Democratic primary.
As testament to his popularity, in both 2018 and 2022 DiNapoli won more votes than the successful Democratic candidates for Governor — respectively Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul.
But it's Comptroller's DiNapoli's longstanding support for the Irish peace process and his pioneering decision to invest in the North of Ireland economy which has sparked the Irish Echo decision to endorse his 2026 candidacy.
As New York State Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli has made $111m in private equity commitments to start-ups and early-stage companies in Northern Ireland over the past 18 years. “Our commitments in Northern Ireland have provided a solid return for the Fund, and that’s good news for the 1.2 million working and retired members of our pension system," he told the Echo back in 2024.
Last week, one of the companies which has enjoyed investment from New York State announced another 72 jobs in their cutting-edge health-tech company outside Belfast.
Comptroller DiNapoli initiated these investments in response to a direct request from the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, former enemies who came together to forge the Irish peace process. The investments have a dual aim – to build the peace through job creation and to earn a return for New York public sector retirees.
Says Comptroller DiNapoli: “Our investments have brought solid returns, which is my first priority but they have also supported the ongoing economic and social progress of the region."
As part of the Comptroller's 'doing good while doing well' approach, the NY investments represent the most consequential ongoing intervention in the Northern Irish peace process by any US political leader.
You can sign up to endorse Comptroller DiNapoli on our special online endorsement page here.
