By John C. O'Connell
An important win for Republicans in the Long Beach county legislative seat, and a Democratic Party victory in an open seat in Farmingdale, meant that neither party gained a net advantage from Tuesday's elections, leaving Democrats in control.
But the status quo result belied frenetic drama in several races. While Republicans retained their nine-seat base, one of which -- the 3rd District in North Valley Stream and Elmont -- had been hotly contested, GOP challenger Denise Ford defeated incumbent Democrat Michael Zapson in Long Beach in a tight race, with about 51 percent of the unofficial vote tallies early Wednesday morning.
"I'm just overwhelmed," Ford, a civic leader in Long Beach for several years and a retired phone company technician, told the Herald Tuesday night. "I'm thrilled. I just want to pinch myself because I can't believe we did it. I'm so proud of my family, my friends and all the individuals and groups that supported me." Ford's husband, a New York City firefighter, died in the 2001 Father's Day fire in Queens.
In the Farmingdale-Massapequa area, Democrat David Mejias took about 51.6 percent of the vote to beat Republican Gregory Carman Jr. for a seat vacated by a retiring Republican.
Republicans hung on to their base in the 6th Legislative District, which covers Lynbrook, Malverne and part of East Rockaway, with incumbent legislators Francis X. Becker taking almost 69 percent of the vote over Democrat Richard Glassberg. In the 7th District, which covers part of East Rockaway, Democratic incumbent Jeff Toback also convincingly beat back a challenge from Republican Mara Jacobowitz, with 58 percent of the vote.
That the Republicans managed to keep all but the open Farmingdale seat, and even pick up one in Long Beach, was a surprise to many. Earlier this year the Democrats redrew the boundaries of all 19 legislative districts in an attempt to consolidate their political base and make former Republican strongholds into more competitive battlegrounds.
In the battle for Nassau County assessor, Republican incumbent Charles O'Shea lost to his challenger, Democrat Harvey Levinson, in an extremely close race, with midnight tallies of 50.3 percent for Levinson and 49.7 percent for O'Shea.
Republicans on the town
In the Town of Hempstead contests, Republican incumbent Supervisor Kate Murray, appointed to the position earlier this year, easily overcame a challenge from town Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, with Murray capturing 61.5 percent of the vote, based on unofficial totals early Wednesday.
In the other town races, Republican councilmen James Darcy and Ed Ambrosino won their bids to continue representing the Lynbrook and Malverne communities. Darcy won 62 percent of the ballots to beat Democrat Vincent Grasso in the 3rd Council District, which encompasses Atlantic Beach, East Atlantic Beach, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Elmont, Inwood, North Woodmere, Hewlett, Valley Stream, Woodsburgh, Woodmere and parts of Franklin Square, Lynbrook, Malverne and North Valley Stream.
In the race for town clerk, Republican incumbent Mark Bonilla beat Kevin Gorman, the Democrat challenger, with 54.5 percent of the vote.
Donald X. Clavin, the Republican incumbent receiver of taxes, defeated Democrat Jerry LaMonica, garnering 59 percent of the vote.
All vote tallies were unofficial as of press time, and absentee ballots had yet to be counted.
