Democrats pick up seats in both Suffolk and Nassau legislatures
Democratic Leg. Rebecca L. Sanin, right, greets supporters at the Suffolk County Democratic election night headquarters in Holtsville. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Democrats picked up a seat in both the Nassau and Suffolk County Legislatures Tuesday, with one GOP incumbent defeated in Suffolk and one open seat going Democratic in Nassau.
With virtually all precincts reporting late Tuesday, Democrat Greg Doroski in Suffolk's 1st District defeated Republican Legis. Catherine L. Stark for the North Fork seat. No other incumbents appeared to be ousted in either county, although final results were not yet conclusive early Wednesday in Nassau's 9th district, where incumbent Republican Scott P. Strauss was leading Democrat Juleigh Chin.
Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer said the results showed: “In Suffolk County, when we get knocked down, we get right back up and we’re ready to fight."
Democrats picked up a seat in Nassau's 14th District, where Cynthia Nunez, who is not registered with a party but ran on the Democratic line, beat Republican Sheharyar Ali. Nunez will replace Republican Legis. C. William Gaylor III of Lynbrook, who did not seek reelection.
Nassau's legislature now appears to be 11 Republicans and 8 Democrats, reducing the GOP's majority by one seat.
Suffolk Republicans were hoping to retain or expand their 12-6 supermajority in the legislature. But the new composition would be at least 11 Republicans and seven Democrats, breaking the GOP's supermajority.
Suffolk's 18th District race appeared to be too close to call Tuesday and could be decided by absentee ballots. Republican incumbent Stephanie L. Bontempi held a slim lead over Democratic challenger Craig G. Herskowitz, according to unofficial reports shortly before midnight.
Bontempi (R-Centerport) declared victory late Tuesday. “This was a hairy one but we did it,” she said.
In the 10th District in Suffolk, which initially appeared to be one of the legislature's tightest races Tuesday, Republican Legis. Trish Bergin ultimately defeated Democratic challenger Leigh-Ann M. Barde.
There will be at least three new faces in the Nassau County Legislature, and two in the Suffolk Legislature when Long Island's county lawmakers reconvene in January.
Term limits were forcing out two prominent incumbents in Suffolk, Presiding Officer Kevin J. McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) and Legis. Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga).
Three Nassau seats became open because of court-ordered redistricting and the decisions of Democrat Seth Koslow and Republican John R. Ferretti Jr. to seek other offices.
The Nassau races this year were highlighted by a residency dispute involving a candidate in one district, and another race featuring a candidate who was reported missing months ago.
The missing candidate, Democrat Petros Krommidas, had been seeking a 4th District seat held by Republican Patrick Mullaney. But Krommidas, 29, of Baldwin, has not been seen since April when he was reported missing. Mullaney won.
Police have said Krommidas' vehicle was found parked near the Long Beach boardwalk and his clothing was found on the beach.
State Supreme Court Justice Gary Knobel in September said Krommidas’ name must remain on the ballot, rejecting a move by Democrats to replace him with Long Beach community advocate James Hodge. Nassau's 4th Legislative District covers the communities on the South Shore, including Long Beach and Oceanside.
In Nassau's 16th District, Republican challenger Jennifer Gallub-Pravato, who lost to Legis. Arnold Drucker (D-Plainview), claimed to live in a Village of Farmingdale walk-up apartment above a Mexican restaurant and barbershop on Main Street, though her husband, Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato, is registered to vote in the 19th Legislative District, listing on voter rolls the address to the couple's $1.1 million, five-bedroom house in Massapequa Park.
Drucker asked Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the matter. No ruling from the attorney general was released before Election Day.
Suffolk GOP chairman Jesse Garcia acknowledged it’s a “tough” year without a marquee countywide race at the top of the ticket. Suffolk voters, he said, have already helped elected Republicans in the federal government in the races that generate bigger headlines.
“It’s my job, it’s a difficult job in this year, to let them know that the closest level of government to them is the most effective one for them,” he said.
In Nassau, resignations and a court-ordered redistricting created open seats in the 2nd, 14th and 15th legislative districts.
The 2nd District became open when incumbent Olena Nicks, a Democrat, lost the seat because of redistricting. She was seeking the 5th District seat held by Koslow, who was defeated by Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Nicks defeated Republican Moshe E. Hill.
Democrat Viviana Russell beat Republican Pepitz Blanchard to fill Nicks' seat in the 2nd District.
In the 15th District, Republican Kayla L. Knight defeated Democrat Stephen Richard Hellman, who did not actively campaign. The seat has been vacant since August when Ferretti Jr. quit to become Hempstead Town supervisor.
In Suffolk, Republican RJ Renna ran uncontested for McCaffrey's District 14 seat.
In Suffolk's 13th District, Republican Salvatore Formica beat Democrat Shala Pascucci. Formica succeeds Trotta.
Republican Legis. Anthony Piccirillo, who won his reelection bid in the 8th District, said, “Let’s keep bringing good government to Suffolk County.”
Newsday's Joe Werkmeister and John Asbury contributed to this story.
Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.
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