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Local incumbents win
It was all joy for Carolyn McCarthy on Tuesday night as the Democratic congresswoman from Mineola ascended to the platform with her family at the party's election-night headquarters in Westbury. "Let's hope by this time tomorrow night, Democrats will be in charge of the House," McCarthy said after county Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs announced her victory over Republican Martin Blessinger of Floral Park about 45 minutes after polls closed.
McCarthy said she and her fellow legislators would now get to work on passing a minimum-wage increase and a prescription drug plan, and work to reduce the interest rates on college loans. "What you're going to see is us working with our Republican colleagues," she said.
McCarthy became widely known for her fight for stricter gun-control legislation, which catapulted her to her first victory and a seat in the House of Representatives in 1996, three years after her husband was shot and killed on the Long Island Rail Road. Since then, the nurse-turned-politician has focused on several other critical federal issues, including the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare, securing grants to assist local first responders to emergencies and providing tax relief to middle-class families. McCarthy has said that tax reform is the key issue facing residents in her district.
During the campaign, Blessinger, who has been involved in Conservative Party politics for the past decade, said his chief priority would have been to develop a disaster plan and evacuation strategy in case of a weather-related emergency or terrorist attack. The challenger also listed as one of his main priorities improving the academic standards of some of the poorer-performing school districts in the 4th C.D.
McCarthy said Tuesday night that she and her Democratic colleagues, now in the majority in the House, "would work very hard on national security" and that Democrats can and would do just as good a job as Republicans on those concerns.
McCarthy, who voted in 2003 to authorize President Bush to use military force in Iraq, is now in favor of bringing the troops home, saying the war was mismanaged from the beginning. Blessinger said he has maintained his support for the war from the outset.
By the end of the evening, McCarthy has captured about 65 percent of the vote.
In the 3rd Congressional District, incumbent Republican Peter King defeated Democrat challenger David Mejias by more than 11 points, 55.5 percent to about 44.4 percent. King's victory seemed to defy the apparent national trend that saw incumbent Republicans ousted by anti-Iraq-war and anti-Bush Democrats. Mejias's campaign tried to make the case that King was too supportive of the president's Iraq policy, but either the charge didn't resonate with 3rd C.D. voters, or it did, and that the majority approved of it.
As King walked on stage to cheers of "Peter," "Peter," at 11:20 p.m. at Mirelle's Restaurant in Westbury, where the local GOP gathered, Nassau Republican Party Chairman Joseph Mondello introduced him as "a man who never compromised his principles for a minute."
"I look upon this re-election as a mandate to stand up to terrorism," King said.
State Senate
In the 6th State Senate District, incumbent Republican Kemp Hannon defeated Democrat challenger Casilda Roper-Simpson by a vote of over 40,000 to 28,600.
In the 7th Senate District, incumbent Republican Michael Balboni earned 62 percent of the vote to beat Democrat Joseph Hand.
In the 8th state Senate District, incumbent Republican Charles Fuschillo gained 41,179 votes to defeat Democrat Adam Small, who picked up 24,809 votes.
In the state's 9th Senate District vote, Republican Dean Skelos was beating his Democratic challenger, Odelia Goldberg of Lawrence, by a margin of more than 60 percent to less than 40 percent late Tuesday night.
During the campaign, Skelos, the Senate's deputy majority leader, said he has used his influence in Albany to bring back much-needed aid to his district.
"Our responsibility with a changing government is to work cooperatively... while retaining our Republican principles in the Senate to protect our residents," Skelos said Tuesday night.
"I think we did an amazing job," Goldberg said in her concession speech. "We fought tooth and nail, and we did it with dignity and honor. I'm running again for sure."
Assembly
In the 14th Assembly District, incumbent Republican Robert Barra defeated his Democratic challenger, Daniel Torres of Baldwin Harbor. Barra received 59 percent of the vote to Torres's 41 percent.
"It was a difficult election but a solid win," Barra said. "Even though the climate was bad this year for Republicans, if you work hard for the people they will return you to office. I am honored that they did that.... I will look to reduce taxes, and provided people with needed relief in that area."
In the 15th A.D., Republican Rob Walker won about 60 percent of the vote to Democrat Matthew Pangburn's 40 percent.
In the 17th Assembly District contest between incumbent Republican Thomas McKevitt and Democrat Dolores Sedacca, McKevitt prevailed with 53.5 percent of the vote to her 46.5 percent.
Democrat Earlene Hooper scored a huge victory over Republican J. Barrington Jackson. Hooper received 82.4 percent of the vote.
In the 19th Assembly District, incumbent Republican David McDonough received almost 57 percent to Democrat Donald Birnbaum's 43 percent.
In the 20th Assembly District, Democrat Harvey Weisenberg beat his opponent, Frank McQuade, by a 70.5 percent vote to the Republican's less than 30 percent.
"I do my job every day," Weisenberg said Tuesday night. "The voters made an educated decision. ... If you do your job, people will re-elect you. I'm one of those guys."
As the vote counting continued, McQuade said, "I think we will surprise a lot of people on how close we came." McQuade also said this would be his last run for elective office.
In the 21st Assembly District, incumbent Republican Thomas Alfano handily defeated Democrat Alfred Cooper, with 65 percent of the vote going to Alfano.
"They know I fight for them in Albany,' Alfano said about winning in an increasingly Democratic district. "I've developed so many personal relationships, they know I'm their champion."
In state-wide races, Democrat Eliot Spitzer was elected governor to replace George Pataki in January. Hillary Rodham Clinton defeated Republican John Spencer. Democrat Andrew Cuomo beat Jeanine Pirro for attorney general. And in spite of his recent ethical scandal and loss of top endorsements, Democrat Alan Hevesi defeated Republican J. Christopher Callaghan for state comptroller.
Comments about this report? joconnell@liherald.com.
