By Herald Staff
Skelos took a comfortable lead of 77,221 votes over challenger West Hempstead resident Roy Simon's 42,127. This was Simon's first run for office.
"On my way over [here]," said Skelos, standing on the podium at the Republican headquarters in Westbury on Tuesday night, shortly after the final tallies were announced, "I called Governor Paterson, and I indicted 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 the governor "have an understanding" that the Republicans are just not going to move away from their principals. "We feel very strongly about that...real property taxes are strangling us here on Long Island."
All of the Republican incumbents kept their seats in Nassau County. In Suffolk county, 36-year incumbent Sen. Caesar Trunzo (R- Brentwood) of the 3rd Senate district, was defeated by Brookhaven Supervisor Brian X. Foley.
Of Long Island's other eight incumbents - all but one Republican - will return for another two-year term. Nationwide, Democrats increased their effective majority to at least 56 seats in the 100-member Senate.
Earlier this year, Skelos was elected to serve as Majority Leader of the New York State Senate after serving as Deputy Majority Leader since 1995. He said that in the next several months, there will be more of a consensus going on the state level. "We have some very good Democratic friends that want to see things move away from the partisan nature that has existed, [and] into a...coalition, or more cohesive, non-partisan body in the senate." Skelos said that the Republican party will 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 principals."
"And you know what?" he said. "We're going to come back in two years!"
In the House
Fourth Congressional District's Carolyn McCarthy handily defeated challenger Jack Martins with 64 percent of the vote. The official tally was 153,320 to 87,239.
Speaking about the Democrats sweeping the House, Senate and Presidency, McCarthy said that she thinks people are going to be surprised that her party is actually fiscally conservative. "The economy has to be the number one issue that we have to face," she said. "We've got to get that back up. It's going to be painful, but I do believe we can do it." This will be McCarthy's seventh term in office.
In the Assembly
It was a tight race for 14th Assembly district's incumbent Bob Barra (R-Lynbrook), who narrowly defeated newcomer Joe Ferrara with a margin of slightly more than 7,000 votes. "We do work as a team, and for the good of the people," said Barra, "and that's why the people saw to it to return us to office - because we do the job for them, and we will continue to do that in the best way possible. If the people continue to work with us, we can't be beat."
Ferrara, a Valley Stream resident, believes that his tight margin was the result of going out to the train stations, supermarkets and streets to talk to the people. "I am really impressed with the incredible response," he said. "We worked so hard and got a lot done in such a short period of time. I think we flipped a lot of votes." Would he run for office again? "Yes, of course," he said. "I learned so much this time around."
This will be Barra's fifth term in office. The final vote was 29,276 to 21, 799 in favor of Barra.
In the 21st Assembly district, 12-year incumbent Tom Alfano defeated challenger Alan Smilowitz. Alfano, a Republican, secured 29.580 votes to 18,032 for Democrat Smilowitz.
Alfano said he was particularly pleased to have won in Elmont, which is heavily Democratic area. In that community, Barack Obama had 14,5999 votes to 4,248 for John McCain, yet Alfano was still able to win there by 300 votes.
The returning assemblyman said he was pleased by the election of Obama because it broke down one of the last barriers remaining in the country. "I feel great for America," he said. "People have spoken loudly and clearly."
About his own race, Alfano said the issue he felt mattered most to people was having open access to government. "I'm a visible person in the district," Alfano said, adding that he has tried to be a champion for education.
