Most Democratic and Republican party nominees won their spot on November ballots in five primary races Tuesday across four of the five congressional districts representing Long Island, except one race that was too close to call.
In the First Congressional District on the East End, New York State Sen. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) beat ex-Securities and Exchange Commission attorney George Demos, who was running for this third try to challenge U.S. Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), by a margin of 62 to 38 percent, according to the Suffolk elections board’s unofficial results.
In the Fourth Congressional District in south/central Nassau County, District Attorney Kathleen Rice beat Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport), the county’s legislative minority leader, in the race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), by a margin of 56 to 43 percent, according to the Nassau elections board’s unofficial results.Former legislative presiding officer Bruce Blakeman will face Rice in the general election after topping attorney Frank Scaturro 56 to 44 percent, the initial tally shows.
Too close to call after midnight Wednesday were the results of the Third Congressional District Republican primary race, in which financial adviser Stephen Labate–who, like Zeldin, is an Iraq War veteran–challenged GOP nominee attorney Grant Lally. The combined unofficial results between the Nassau, Suffolk and New York City elections boards show Lally ahead by about 100 votes, which could trigger a recount. The winner will go on to face U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) in the general elections.
And in the sliver of the Fifth Congressional District that represents parts of southwestern Nassau, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) trounced challenger Joseph Marthone, who sought a rematch.
