By Cindy J. Roth
"The Republican Party is stronger than ever," said 3rd Congressional District Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford). King captured 72 percent of the vote, trouncing Democratic challenger Stuart Finz. "We are back and we are going to stay back."
Fourth Congressional District Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) easily won re-election to a fourth term. She captured 57 percent of the vote, defeating Republican challenger Marilyn O'Grady, an ophthalmologist taking her first shot at political office.
"I want to thank everybody involved in the campaign who believed in what I was trying to do," said McCarthy in her victory speech Tuesday night at the Democratic Party headquarters at the Garden City Hotel. "This was a campaign about the issues, especially education, seniors having prescription drugs and health care, and that's why we won."
All the Senate seats up for election stayed in Republican control, including the 9th District seat held by the Senate majority leader, nine-term incumbent Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). Skelos cruised to victory over his Democratic opponent, Richard Glassberg, garnering 68 percent of the vote.
"It just feels better every time," said Skelos. "We are back. We are back strong."
The senator said the first item on his agenda is tackling the state's financial problems without raising taxes.
In the 14th Assembly District race, voters returned Robert Barra (R-Lynbrook) to a second term with 60 percent of the vote, turning away Democratic challenger Vincent Grasso.
"I'm absolutely happy tonight," said Barra from the Republican Party headquarters at the Red Fort restaurant in Westbury. "I think we really connected with the voters, with the people. We got this because of being visible, because of our outreach, of being with the people."
In the 18th Assembly District, incumbent Earlene Hooper (D-Roosevelt), who did very little campaigning, beat Republican challenger Raymond Rhoden with 77 percent of the vote. Hooper was not at Democratic headquarters Tuesday night when the returns came in.
In the 20th Assembly District race, voters overwhelmingly returned Democrat Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach) to his seat. Weisenberg won over Republican challenger Peter McDonald by capturing 67 percent of the vote.
Another Republican incumbent, Tom Alfano (R-N. Valley Stream), easily beat Democratic challenger Joseph DeFelice in the 21st Assembly District with 69 percent of the vote.
"I feel great tonight, and I think the voters told us to continue to work hard to get great state aid for education," said Alfano, looking elated as he entered the Red Fort. "I'm especially proud of the turnout tonight and of the turnout in Elmont South. This has got to be a first, for a Republican to win in Elmont South."
Many challengers were taking their first swings in the political arena and were not surprised by the poll results.
"I was up against a real candidate," said Glassberg. "I gave it my best shot, but I came up short. I tried to cover the issues as best I could. At this point I would just like to commend Skelos...a win that was obviously...a pretty good win."
The first-time challengers expressed few regrets, and several said they might just be back in a few years. "There are no regrets," said O'Grady. "Who knows what the future will bring. We gave it everything we had."
Finz said that it's important for elected officials to remember the people who elected them while serving upstate and in the nation's capital. "Congratulations to [King]," said Finz on Tuesday night. "His focus should come back to the people of Long Island and the issues that are important to Long Islanders."
The Atlantic Beach referendum also passed with 54 percent of the vote. The referendum gives the Village of Atlantic Beach zoning powers for the area. Atlantic Beach was incorporated in 1962 and the county charter states that any village incorporated after 1938 would be without zoning powers, giving that authority to the town in which the village is situation, in this case, the Town of Hempstead. The passing of the referendum overrides the county charter stipulation.
The poll numbers in this story reflect the Nassau County Board Election results as of Wednesday morning.
This story was reported by Kimberly Acevedo, Nick Buglione, Jerry Burke, Angela Marshall, John C. O'Connell and Anthony Rifalto.
