Republicans take back Legislature

The balance of power in the Nassau County Legislature was at stake in Tuesday’s election, and with it, legislative support for County Executive Tom Suozzi’s agenda and budget — support Suozzi has counted on as long as Democrats have controlled 10 of the Legislature’s 19 seats.

But the final vote totals late Tuesday night confirmed that, with the 6,654 to 5,544 defeat of incumbent 7th District Legislator Jeff Toback, a Democrat from Oceanside, by his Republican challenger, Howard Kopel of Lawrence, the Legislature had a new party in the majority.

“I was here two years ago, but this time is much more fun,” Kopel said in his victory speech at Republican headquarters in Westbury, referring to his first, unsuccessful run against Toback in 2007. “We will fulfill our promise — we will lower taxes and spending.”

Toback said, “It seems that people have bought, for now, the argument that the Republicans have the answer with regard to high taxes, and time will tell whether or not they can keep their promises. Howard made a lot of promises. It will be interesting to see how he plans on keeping them.”

In the race for the 6th District seat, Republican Francis X. Becker of Lynbrook, an original member of the Legislature, bested Democratic challenger Vincent Grasso of Valley Stream. Becker collected 9,002 votes, and Grasso picked up 3,713.

“This is an amazing night,” said Becker. “I’ve been a Republican since the day I was born, and I know what Republican values are all about.”

Because Suozzi had only 237 votes more than his Republican challenger, Edward Mangano, with all of the election districts reporting, the county executive’s race was too close to call.

Town results

Kate Murray secured her fourth two-year term as Hempstead town supervisor. The Republican from Levittown garnered nearly 65 percent of the vote, defeating Democratic challenger Kristen McElroy by a count of 82,265 to 44,530.

After she was congratulated by Nassau County GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello at Town Republican election headquarters, Mirelli’s in Westbury, Murray focused in her victory speech on the night’s major headline, the shift of power in the county Legislature to the Republicans. “Good budgeting and good services are what this majority will bring back to county government,” she said.

“We did it for the hardworking, overburdened tax payers,” said Republican Town Councilman Anthony Santino, who defeated challenger Jean Brett-Leach by more than 10,000 votes. “We have the leadership and the dedication of the greatest political organization in the United States of America.”

For more coverage of all local races, go to LIHerald.com.