Sunday, December 8, 2024
Democrat Laura Gillen declared victory over incumbent U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in a close race in Tuesday’s election, having captured 51 percent of the vote — about 6,000 more votes than the first-term congressman. Gillen appeared to secure her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, though the results were still unofficial as of press time on Wednesday. She was met with chants of “Laura! Laura!” from her supporters.
“I am so honored and humbled to be your new congresswoman,” Gillen said. “We knocked on 300,000 doors, we made over 600,000 phone calls and we put together a campaign, a winning campaign, that we will emulate for years to come.”
D’Esposito campaigned on a platform focused on public safety and reducing taxes. He took a strong stance on supporting Israel and said border security, too, was a major issue.
Gillen, a former Hempstead town supervisor, ran on promises to improve infrastructure and protect health care access. Tackling the high cost of living and restoring the state and local tax deduction on income taxes were also part of her platform.
Aside from Gillen, most area Republican incumbents kept control of their seats. In the 9th State Senate District, Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick fended off Democratic newcomer James Lynch, winning 55 percent of the votes, a 13,000-vote difference.
“I’m very excited to get back to Albany to advocate for the 9th Senate District,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said after declaring victory. “We need so much more. We need lots to be done for our communities in the way of affordability, safety and mental health. There’s a lot to be done, and I’m eager to continue that work.”
Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, a former Malverne village trustee, emphasized issues such as crime reduction and economic recovery during her campaign. She stressed that the police need more funding and training, and noted that bail reform and giving judges more discretion remains on her agenda.
In Assembly District 20, Ari Brown secured another win for Republicans, comfortably defeating former Long Beach City Councilwoman Tina Posterli. Brown received 63 percent of the votes, nearly 16,000 more than Posterli.
“I’m a lifelong Long Islander. I’ve lived here almost 57 years,” Brown said. “I don’t care about being Democrat or Republican, I care about doing what’s right for Long Island. We have to protect Long Island. That’s what it’s about, and that’s the only thing I really fight for.”
Long Beach City Court Judge Corey Klein was also re-elected.
In a special election in the Town of Hempstead, Councilman Chris Schneider added another win for the GOP, earning a full term in the seat to which he was initially appointed in August. He defeated Democratic challenger Kevan Abrahams, receiving 56 percent of the votes. Schneider, a lifelong Hempstead resident, has prioritized community engagement and local economic growth during his tenure and has pledged to continue his work in addressing town issues.
Prop 1, which will add protections against discrimination to the state Constitution, was approved, passing with 55 percent of the vote.
Additional reporting by Angelina Zingariello.
