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Mostly Cloudy Foes will face off in primary for Alfano's seat
Elmont civic leaders battle for Democratic nod
Their battle for the ballot overshadowed much of the race between Patrick Nicolosi and Mimi Pierre Johnson, Elmont civic leaders vying for the Democratic nod in the primary election to replace outgoing Assemblyman Tom Alfano in November.
The two were embroiled in what became a highly emotional feud over petition signatures, each accusing the other of fraud and spending some two weeks in court trying to knock each other off the ballot. They failed: both Nicolosi and Johnson are on the ballot and preparing for the Sept. 14 primary.
Nicolosi, 54, and 47-year-old Johnson will face off that day in the hopes of winning Democrats’ support and the chance to face Republican candidate Ed Ra during the general election for the 21st Assembly District seat, which includes North Valley Stream, Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead.
Both contenders have been active in the Elmont community and consider themselves the people’s candidates. Nicolosi, who’s lived in the community for 33 years, is president of the Elmont East End Civic Association and Johnson, who was born in Haiti and moved to New York at the age of 7, is president of the Argo Civic Association.
Nicolosi, a father of three grown children, has also served as a library trustee and union delegate for Local 550. He has long been a strong voice for eliminating government redundancy in Nassau County and creating what he calls a “common sense” tax code. But what’s most important for people to remember, Nicolosi said, is that government should be a representation of the will of the people, not parties and politicians.
“I don’t believe in party politics,” Nicolosi told the Herald during a recent interview. “I believe it’s time for the people to take back the government.”
Although Nicolosi is running as a Democrat, he considers himself an independent candidate. He believes Johnson, who has the endorsement of Nassau County Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, is just part of the established party machine. “She doesn’t listen to the community,” Nicolosi said. “Sending these hand-picked politicians to Albany — I don’t see it getting better. I see it getting worse.”
