John DeVito, a 25-year-old law student from Mastic Beach, won a three-way Democratic primary Tuesday, earning a spot on general election ballots to challenge freshman New York State Sen. Tom Croci (R-Sayville), according to unofficial results from the board of elections.
That race was one of five Democratic primaries for state Legislative seats on Long Island. In the other four—two state Assembly seats each for Nassau and Suffolk counties—challengers were unsuccessful against three incumbents and a party nominee to fill a vacancy, results show.
DeVito, a first-time candidate, won 40 percent of the vote over attorney Joseph Fritz of Brentwood, who got 31 percent, and former Suffolk County Legis. Rick Montano (D-Brentwood), who placed third with 28 percent out of 3,109 votes cast in the 3rd State Senate District, according to the early returns.
In the 6th Assembly District, seven-term Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Bay Shore) trounced publicist Giovanni Mata of Bay Shore, 72 to 27 percent out of 2,701 votes cast, results show. In the 11th Assembly District, freshwoman Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wyandanch) beat perennial candidate Jordan K. Wilson Jr. of North Babylon 78 to 21 percent out of 1,622 votes cast, tallies show. Republican challengers have yet to emerge in either of those races.
In Nassau’s two races, 14-term Deputy Assembly Speaker Earlene Hooper (D-Hempstead) won 59 percent of the vote over challenger Carmen Piñeyro, a Freeport village trustee who got 40 percent of the 3,514 ballots cast in the 18th Assembly District, results show. Hooper will face perennial Republican challenger Cornelius Todd Smith on Election Day.
And in the 20th Assembly District, Long Beach City Councilman Anthony Eramo won 71 percent of the vote over former Nassau County Legis. Jeffrey Toback (D-Oceanside), who got 28 percent of 3,968 ballots cast, according to the elections board.
Eramo is running for the state Assembly seat vacated by state Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach), who replaced disgraced ex-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) this spring.
Eramo faces Republican candidate Michelle Miller of Atlantic Beach and Green Party hopeful Joseph Naham of Long Beach on Nov. 8.
