Here’s my take on this year’s winners and losers in the game of politics.
Winners:
Tom Suozzi: After the resignation of the disgraced Republican Congressman George Santos, Suozzi agreed to run for the seat he had previously held for 4 years. His victory over Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip, who spent millions in the special election, proved that a moderate Democratic, particularly on the issues of crime and border security, can win in an increasingly “’Red” county. Adhering to his moderate message Suozzi was reelected in November despite Trump carrying Nassau with 53% of the vote.
Laura Gillen: Two years ago, former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillan won the Democratic nomination to replace retiring 4-term congresswoman Kathleen Rice. In her race against Republican Anthony D’Esposito, a former New York City cop, she couldn’t overcome the Red Wave and D’Esposito’s emphasis on public safety and tax relief. She lost 48% to 52%. In this year’s rematch, Gillen adopted Suozzi’s model and ran as a moderate. Unlike 2022, she did not make abortion the centerpiece of her campaign. In her commercial calling for tighter border control, she sounded more like Trump than Harris. Her strategy paid off as she beat D’Esposito 51.2% to 48.8%.
Daniel Norber: This first generation American who was raised in Israel, won the 16th Assembly District (Great Neck) that was held for 2 decades (1987-2007) by Tom DiNapoli, the New York State Comptroller. Norber beat 2-term incumbent Democrat Gina Sillitti. He is the first Republican to win the seat in over half a century.
Jennifer DeSena: In 2021, DeSena was the first Republican to be elected North Hempstead Town Supervisor in 30 years. Re-elected by a landslide in 2023, her coattails carried over the finish line a majority Republicans on the town council. DeSena and the GOP majority approved a $136 million budget that reduces property taxes by a whopping 10.8%.
Joe Cairo: The Nassau County Republican leader’s Election Day ground game paid off once again. Despite Democrats outnumbering Republicans by 100,000, Trump carried the county for the first time. The GOP now controls 4 of the 5 state Senate seats and 7 of the 11 Assembly seats.
NIFA Board Members: The Nassau Interim Finance Authority’s board rightfully rejected the county executive’s 2025 budget. The budget is not only risky, but it violates the legal requirement that it must comply with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Every first-year accounting student knows that under GAAP, surplus dollars cannot be used as “revenue” to balance a budget.
Losers:
George Santos: He will go down as the number 1 loser of the decade. Santos lied about every aspect of his life including his religion, his ethnic background, his education, his employment, and his residence. He was the first Republican and the sixth member of the House of Representatives to be expelled. In August he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft. Good riddance.
Don Clavin: After spending all the one-shot COVID money and exhausting budgetary reserves, Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin had to face the day of reckoning. He raised the property tax levy by a whopping 12.1%. Will Clavin seek a judgeship to escape taxpayers’ wrath?
Gina Sillitti: The two-term Democratic assemblywoman lost a seat held by her party for over half a century. Maybe she will learn that in a state that has the most egregious abortion laws in the nation, abortion is not on the front burner of voters.
Bruce Blakeman: To balance his budget, the Nassau County executive attempted to utilize the same fiscal gimmicks that brought the County to the edge of insolvency during the administration of his disgraced GOP predecessor—jailbird Ed Mangano. Taxpayers are fortunate NIFA watchdogs unanimously rejected the 2025 budget and are forcing Blakeman to drop the financial skullduggery.
