Dems take special elections
Democrats Michelle Schimel of Great Neck and Wayne Wink of Roslyn easily won special elections to the state Assembly and Nassau Legislature yesterday in races that drew extremely light turnout.
Schimel, the North Hempstead town clerk, defeated Republican Ryan DeCicco of Port Washington by more than a 5-1 margin for the Assembly seat vacated by Thomas DiNapoli (D-Great Neck), who resigned to become state comptroller.
Schimel said the wide margin will give her instant credibility in the Assembly.
"It's nice to get to Albany with a little oomph behind you," she said. "Certainly that percentage means a lot to me."
Wink, a North Hempstead town councilman, received more than four times as many votes as did Louis Chisari, a Republican lawyer from New Hyde Park.
Wink's victory gives Democrats back the 10-9 advantage in the Legislature. Wink said he is looking forward to being in the majority in the Legislature.
"It's going to be a real opportunity for the Democrats to continue moving the county forward," he said.
He replaces Legis. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington), who resigned the seat when he won the hotly-contested Feb. 6 special election to replace state Sen. Michael Balboni (R-East Williston), who resigned to become Gov. Eliot Spitzer's homeland security czar.
Neither race was expected to be close. While Schimel and Wink gathered with Democrats at the Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington, Republicans did not hold an election night party, according to Nassau GOP spokesman Tony Santino.
For Schimel, 49, the race marked her first run for state office after first winning election to the town clerk post in 1999. She was the runner-up to Johnson for the Democratic nomination for the state Senate special election in February.
It was the first run at public office for DeCicco, 26, a mechanic for Nassau County.
Wink, 40, is a former deputy council to the Legislative majority and was an aide to Legis. Barbara Johnson, Craig Johnson's late mother. Chisari, also a lawyer, made unsuccessful runs for the state Assembly last year and for town clerk against Schimel in 2005.
Wink will be up for re-election, along with the other 18 members of the Legislature, in November. Schimel will face re-election in 2008.
The Assembly district, the 16th, includes Great Neck, Port Washington, Manhasset and Roslyn. The legislative district, the 11th, includes Port Washington, Roslyn, Garden City Park and Herricks.
Posted Monday, April 16, 2007
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