Scannell keeps seat in 5th L.D.

Republicans retook the Nassau County Legislature on Tuesday, even as Democratic incumbent Legislator Joe Scannell, whose 5th District seat was widely considered to be vulnerable, defeated challenger Chris Browne in a close race.

In unofficial results, with all 66 election districts reporting, Scannell had garnered 7,103 votes, compared with Browne's count of 6,729. But it was another county race, a loss by incumbent Democrat Jeff Toback to Republican challenger Howard Kopel in the 7th L.D., which comprises Oceanside and the Five Towns, that tipped the majority to the GOP.

"I'm very, very grateful that I'm one of the incumbents that survived," Scannell said, adding that he believed the recession had created an anti-incumbency mood among voters.

"The Nassau County Legislature is always a challenging place," he continued. "I'm grateful that I have friends and supporters on both sides of the aisle. I work with everybody."

In one of the night’s closest contests, County Executive Tom Suozzi was leading Republican challenger Ed Mangano by fewer than 300 votes as the Herald went to press after midnight. Suozzi told cheering supporters, "It's going to go on for some time ... but you know what? We're going to win this thing."

Incumbent county Legislator Kevan Abrahams, a Democrat from Hempstead, won his race against Republican challenger Elton McCabe by a large margin.

At press time, County Comptroller Howard Weitzman was trailing his Republican challenger, George Maragos, in a close race but refused to concede. Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, a Democrat, handily defeated Republican challenger Joy Watson, and clerk Maureen O’Connell was re-elected.

Town of Hempstead races offered no surprises, with incumbent Supervisor Kate Murray, Councilman Anthony Santino and Town Clerk Mark Bonilla retaining their seats.