By JOSEPH KELLARD
But even though Skelos was re-elected to a 14th term in the Senate, garnering 77,221 votes, to 42,127 for his challenger, West Hempstead resident Roy Simon, the Democrats became the state senate’s majority party for the first time in 43 years.
“On my way over,” said Skelos, standing on the podium at Republican headquarters in Westbury on Tuesday night, shortly after the final tallies were announced, “I called Governor Paterson, and I indicated to him that our conference — because we will still be in the majority until the end of this year — will continue to work with him to solve the problems that the state has right now on a bipartisan basis.”
Skelos said that he and Paterson “have an understanding” that Republicans are not going to set aside their principles. “We feel very strongly about that ... real property taxes are strangling us here on Long Island,” Skelos said.
All of the Republican incumbents kept their seats in Nassau County, but in Suffolk County, 36-year incumbent Sen. Caesar Trunzo (R- Brentwood) was defeated by Brookhaven Supervisor Brian X. Foley in the 3rd Senate District.
Earlier this year, Skelos was elected Senate majority leader, after serving as deputy majority leader since 1995. He said that in the next several months, there would be more of a consensus in Albany. “We have some very good Democratic friends that want to see things move away from the partisan nature that has existed, into a ... coalition, or more cohesive, nonpartisan body in the Senate,” he said.
Skelos added that the Republican party would offer its hand of friendship. “New York is a great state [and] we have to make some tough choices — we are willing to make these tough choices and stand by our principles,” he said.
In the 20th Assembly District, Weisenberg captured nearly 66 percent of the vote, defeating challenger Michael McGinty (R-Island Park) by a count of 31,965 to 16,457. Weisenberg, who will begin his 20th year in the Assembly in January, described what he does not as politics, but public service.
“When you work seven days and nights advocating for people, people know and realize what the efforts of your position are, that it’s a full-time job,” Weisenberg said in a phone interview Wednesday morning. “And if you do your job, you get re-elected.”
Weisenberg said he was “devastated” that Skelos was out as majority leader, calling him a real advocate and a leader in Nassau County. “I hate to see our voice, here on the Island, weakened,” Weisenberg said.
Asked about his party’s control of the Senate, he said, “When everything is controlled by one party, it’s kind of scary.”
Projected to sweep the election in 3rd Congressional District, King did that and more, garnering 127,394 votes. His challenger, Graham Long (D-Locust Valley), received 70,818. In the presidential race, Nassau County voters favored Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. John McCain, with Obama capturing 52 percent of the local vote as of midnight Tuesday.
For complete local election results, visit www.liherald.com.
Mary Malloy, Paul Shapiro and Scott Brinton contributed to this story. Comments about it? JKellard@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 213.
