By:Jeff Lipton and Rebecca Shalomoff
The upset victory of Tom Suozzi over Tom DiNapoli in the Democratic primary Sept. 25 did not seem shocking to Five Towners during an informal survey done by the Herald last week. What they say would be more stunning is if Bruce Bent, the Republican-Conservative candidate for county executive, were to defeat Suozzi in the November general election, given the Republicans' mismanagement of county finances.
Suozzi, the mayor of Glen Cove, beat state Assemblyman DiNapoli by capturing 54 percent of the Democratic vote, according to the Board of Elections. The tally was 36,796 to 31,719, in what was seen by many as an upset.
DiNapoli carried the Five Towns by about 500 votes, Suozzi supporters said, but they noted that the closeness of the race in this area helped propel their candidate to victory. Registered Democrats turned out in unusually large numbers in an election that was postponed from Sept. 11 because of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon. In an apparent show of defiance to the attacks, about a quarter of all registered Democrats voted in the primary. Only about 10 percent had been expected to vote.
It was not really surprising. He has a good base here [in the Five Towns], said County Legis. Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside), one of the few Nassau County lawmakers who supported him. We were happy to keep it to a manageable number. When you work hard, good things happen and Suozzi did a lot of work here [campaigning].
Toback said Suozzi will open a headquarters on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst. We're looking toward good things in November.
He said Suozzi beat DiNapoli because Suozzi's credentials are beyond compare. I think he's a special person and his qualities bring people together.
Surveyed about the Sept. 25 primary, Five Towners have their own ideas about what they would like to see take place come November.
First of all I'd like to see taxes straightened out, said a resident of Hewlett Avenue in Hewlett. The Republicans did a crappy job as far as I'm concerned.
Natalie Ressner of Hewlett Neck said she is impressed with Suozzi and was not at all surprised that he beat DiNapoli in the primary. Suozzi's a very personable young man with a family background. I think he will be wonderful [as county executive]. I think I will vote for him in November. He has a good background in Glen Cove and he will provide a good shot in the arm for Nassau County.
Mary Gellin of Herkimer Avenue in Hewlett said she was surprised Suozzi was victorious over DiNapoli. I think they are two good men, said Gellin who attended a forum at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, when both candidates spoke before the primary.
Gellin, an independent, said she will listen to the top priorities of Suozzi and Republican candidate Bent before the general election in November. But she said it will take a great effort by the Republicans to convince her to vote for Bent. I will see what the different issues are but I will probably go for Suozzi, she said. Look what the Republicans have done to us.
Since she's a senior citizen, she said budget items to improve the quality of life of the elderly are very important to her.
Merideth Khan of Hewlett said she voted for DiNapoli because he has more experience than Suozzi, who seems like more of a talker than a doer. The outcome of the election was more about appearances than experience.
Howard King, an Inwood resident, insists that DiNapoli should have won. He has more experience and seems like a nicer guy. I just hope whoever wins the election [in November] will get us out of millions of dollars of debt this county is in.
Lawrence resident Joshua Sloyer said Suozzi and DiNapoli were in favor of making the same changes in the county, but differ in experience. I just hope Suozzi wins against Bent. It wouldn't be good to have another Republican in the county executive seat.
Evan Novack of Atlantic Beach said, I didn't vote in the election, but Tom Suozzi seems like a cool guy. He's eager to get rid of the patronage system in Nassau County, which has gotten way out of control. I hope he can do it.
Electing another Republican to the top county post would be a big, big mistake, said Nicki Feirman, a former Woodmere resident who still keeps up with county politics despite moving out of the county. And for too long, it's been so shady, Feirman said. The money problems, the patronage. I really hope Suozzi can get [the county] out of this mess.
Atlantic Beach resident Gwen Filler, who's not a registered voter, said she would have gone for Suozzi. I feel that he is very qualified and that he did a wonderful job in Glen Cove. I think he has the expertise to pull Nassau County out of the situation that it's in.
