Nassau County elections

Big night for Nassau’s GOP on the South Shore

Heavy Republican voter turnout had powerful impact on race results

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As of Wednesday morning, Republicans in Nassau County-wide races were inching toward a GOP sweep.

As the Herald went to press, Bruce Blakeman, the Republican Town of Hempstead councilman, had surged past incumbent Democrat Laura Curran in the race for county executive, with nearly all precincts reporting. At press time, an official winner had not been declared in the race, but Blakeman had 52 percent of the vote to Curran’s 47 percent. Close to 20,000 absentee ballots remained to be counted, however.

On Wednesday morning, Curran had not conceded the race, saying, "This is not over, and we must trust the process."

"I think the Republican Party was on the right side of the issues," Blakeman said. "The two biggest issues were taxes and people were very upset  with the broken reassessment system.  They were very upset they were not getting the tax relief they were entitled to."

What was certain: Republican Anne Donnelly, a 32-year career prosecutor in the Nassau district attorney’s office, was declared the winner in the race for D.A. Donnelly defeated State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach. Donnelly had 60 percent of the vote.

Republican Elaine Phillips, a former state senator, was declared the winner in the race for county comptroller, with over 60 percent of the votes, besting Democrat Ryan Cronin. And Republican Maureen O’Connell, with over 67 percent, appeared headed to victory over Democrat Justin Brown in the race for county clerk. Brown had almost 37% of the votes.

In the race for Town of Hempstead supervisor, Don Clavin also appeared headed toward an easy victory over Democrat Jason Abelove, at press time holding 65 percent of the votes to Abelove’s 34.55 percent. And Kate Murray retook the town clerk;s seat with 63 percent of the vote to Olena Nicks’ 36 percent at press time.

The Town of Hempstead 1st Councilmanic District was handily won by Democrat Dorothy L. Goosby, 83. She defeated Republican opponent James Lamarre with nearly 88 percent of the vote to Lamarre’s 12 percent. The district covers Hempstead, Lakeview and Roosevelt as well as portions of Baldwin, Freeport, Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, Uniondale and West Hempstead.

In the three Nassau County legislative districts that together cover Freeport, Democrat and Freeport resident Kevan Abrahams was holding the 1st Legislative District with 85 percent of the votes over Republican challenger Elton E. McCabe Jr.

Democrat Debra Mulé, also of Freeport, retained her seat in the 5th Legislative District, with more than 58 percent of the vote over Republican challenger Brian J. McEvoy’s 41 percent.

In Legislative District, Republican incumbent Steven D. Rhoads led Democrat opponent Jacob I. Schuster with more than 72 percent of the votes.