Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Democratic challenger Laura Gillen declared victory in her bid for Congress, defeating incumbent Congressman Anthony D’Esposito in a closely watched race, which could potentially shift control of the House of Representatives.
Based on unofficial poll results form the Nassau County Board of Elections, Gillen is the projected winner, defeating her Republican opponent with 6,148 more votes as of press time on Tuesday night.
Gillen, a former Hempstead Town Supervisor, ran on promises to improve the rising cost of living on Long Island, reproductive rights and immigration reform. She triumphed over D’Esposito, who was seeking a second term in a historically Democratic stronghold.
“I am so humbled an honored to be your new Congresswoman,” Gillen said at the Democratic rally at the Garden City Hotel. “The coordinated campaign that we put together. We knocked on 300,000 doors. We made over 600,000 phone calls. We put out a campaign that was a winning campaign that we will emulate in the years.”
In the New York State Senate race, Democrat Siela Bynoe is projected to have won her seat, defeating Republican challenger Thomas Montenfinise. Based on the unofficial poll results, Bynoe is projected to have received 60 percent of the vote — more than 75,100 votes — to claim the seat that has been held by state Sen. Kevin Thomas since 2019.
During her tenure as a Nassau County Legislator, has spent the last decade advocating for mental health services, police reform, affordable housing, and education on Long Island. She first won her county seat in a special election in 2014, after serving two terms on the Westbury school board. She is also the former executive director of the Huntington Housing Authority.
“Together, we will move this county forward,” Bynoe said. “Together, we will be able to create jobs. We'll be able to bring more money here into this district for infrastructure and education, and all the things that matter the most.”
Judy Griffin, the Democratic challenger in the race Assembly District 21, reclaimed her seat by more than 2,000 votes. This is a much larger margin from the 2022 election, when she lost by a narrow 138 votes.
“I almost can’t believe that I found out before midnight that I won,” Griffin said. “There are so many people in this room who have been rooting for me, (we’re out) at train stations with me, and who’ve helped me since 2018. I just want to thank all of you.”
Griffin spent two terms in office, during which she helped secure more than $8 million from the state to help provide funding for emergency services, schools, libraries, veterans halls and non-profit organizations. She also passed common-sense gun legislation, protected women’s rights, funded UPK in suburban schools, capped property taxes and provided resources to help combat the opioid epidemic.
“I’m really excited to get back to District 21,” she said. “To get back to Albany and to start working to make people’s lives better.”
Prop 1 that aimed to add protections against discrimination to the state constitution won approval by 79 percent.
