Democrat Laura Gillen Projected to Win Tight Congressional Race on Long Island
According to NBC News, Democrat Laura Gillen was projected to win a tight race on Long Island, one of the hotly contested New York congressional districts that could determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
A Rematch from 2022
In a rematch from 2022, the Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito had been trying to hold onto a congressional district right outside New York City that President Joe Biden won by 15 percentage points in 2020. D’Esposito defeated Gillen in 2022 by about 10,000 votes.
The Campaign
Nearly 48 hours after polls closed in the state, NBC News projected Gillen would win the swing district in Nassau County — where President-elect Donald Trump topped Kamala Harris by five points, nearly 30,000 votes. As of Thursday evening, Gillen led D’Esposito by about 7,000 votes, with about 25,000 ballots still outstanding.
The race for New York’s 4th congressional district this year featured TV attack ads that were unrelenting and partisan. The Republican incumbent D’Esposito tried to cast Democratic challenger Gillen as soft on crime while criticizing Democrats over immigration policies he blames for an influx of migrants. Gillen, former Hempstead town supervisor, rejected those criticisms and said that if elected, she would push for more law enforcement and border security.
Bipartisanship
Away from the ads, both Republican incumbent D’Esposito and Democratic challenger Gillen had preached the importance of bipartisanship.
Controversy Surrounding D’Esposito
In late October, a Newsday-Siena college poll showed Gillen with a double digit lead, though it ended up being far closer. While the issues in the race were similar to others around the tri-state and around the country — abortion, the economy, immigration, crime — there was a late wild card added to the race, in the form of a controversy surrounding D’Esposito.
According to a report by the New York Times in September, D’Esposito may have violated House ethics rules by hiring his mistress and his fiancée’s daughter at his district office. The Nassau County Republican allegedly gave part-time jobs to two women, one was to his longtime fiancée’s daughter who worked at his district office for about $3,800 a month, according to payroll records obtained by the Times.
The other woman was someone who D’Esposito allegedly had an affair with. She was reportedly paid $2,000 a month, for several months, at the same district office until D’Esposito’s fiancée found out about their relationship, the report detailed.
D’Esposito’s Response
When contacted by NBC New York after the story broke, the freshman lawmaker called the report “the latest political tabloid garbage,” denying that he violated any ethics rules.
“My personal life has never interfered with my ability to deliver results for New York’s 4th district, and I have upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct,” D’Esposito said. “Voters deserve better than the Times’ gutter politics.”
Gillen’s Response
“These are very serious allegations that demand further investigation, and it’s clear that Anthony D’Esposito has abused his power in every position of trust he’s ever held,” said Gillen.
Conclusion
The race for New York’s 4th congressional district has been marked by controversy and partisanship, with both candidates engaging in fierce attacks on each other. However, in the end, it appears that Democrat Laura Gillen will emerge victorious, winning a tight race against Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito.
FAQs
Q: What is the significance of this congressional district?
A: The 4th congressional district is one of the most competitive in the country, and the outcome of this race could determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Q: What were the main issues in this race?
A: The main issues in this race included abortion, the economy, immigration, and crime.
Q: What was the controversy surrounding D’Esposito?
A: D’Esposito was accused of violating House ethics rules by hiring his mistress and his fiancée’s daughter at his district office.
Q: How did Gillen respond to the controversy?
A: Gillen demanded an investigation into the allegations and accused D’Esposito of abusing his power.
