Democratic challenger Laura Gillen took the podium to declare narrow victory over Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito in a high-stakes congressional race in Tuesday’s election.
“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.”
Gillen, a former Hempstead town supervisor, ran on promises to improve infrastructure and protect healthcare access. D’Esposito could not be reached for comment as of press time at midnight on Tuesday.
In State Senate District 9, Republican incumbent Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick retained her seat over Democrat James Lynch, winning 55 percent of the vote.
According to unofficial results, Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages scored a decisive victory over challenger Ian Bergström, retaining her seat for a sixth term. Solages earned roughly 64 percent of Tuesday’s ballot count.
“I really want to thank the constituents that trust and believe in our commitment to ensure that their voices are heard in Albany,” she said. “I want to continue making sure that the needs of the average New Yorker are prioritized, whether it’s property tax relief or tackling affordability when it comes to utilities.”
Bergström declined to concede as of press time, insisting that every ballot be counted, but urged residents to “hold Solages accountable for the lack of state funding in our communities and for passing legislation that jeopardizes residents’ safety and well-being.”