Republicans will maintain control of the North Hempstead Town Board, led by incumbent Republican Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, who beat Democrat Dave Kerpen with 56% of the vote.
Newcomer Yaron Levy, a Republican, will succeed Republican David Adhami in District 5, winning by a wide margin. Democratic incumbent Robert Troiano won District 1, and incumbent Dennis Walsh won District 3.
Incumbent Republican Ragini Srivastava won the election for town clerk with 52% of the vote.
While the votes were being counted, DeSena said she credited her lead to the results her administration has delivered on various projects.
“We’ve worked hard. We delivered. My administration has taken care of so many projects that were just in limbo,” she said. “We’ve gotten them cleaning all around the town, and we have done all of that while also cutting taxes.”
She said she knew residents were responding.
“I knew that the residents were responding favorably to what we were doing,” she said. “It’s very gratifying to win an election, of course.”
DeSena was first elected as town supervisor of the Town of North Hempstead in November 2021 and won reelection in 2023. Before holding elected office, DeSena was an attorney and a leader in nonprofit efforts.
During her legal career, DeSena worked as an enforcement attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Prior to joining the SEC, she worked on complex insurance coverage litigation.
DeSena also served in leadership positions at nonprofits, including as executive director of the Manhasset Coalition Against Substance Abuse and as a member of the Greater Manhasset Civic Association Council.
Kerpen, an entrepreneur, said he is proud of his campaign.
“I’m feeling really proud of the campaign that we ran, win or lose,” he said.
While the votes were being counted, Kerpen said that if he lost, it would be in part due to DeSena making him out to be “the Mamdani of Nassau, which is just not true,” a reference to the Democratic Socialist who won his race for New York City Mayor on Tuesday night.
Levy beat Democrat Liza Chafiian by 44% with 72% of votes, compared to Chafiian’s 28%. Levy will replace Adhami, who did not run for re-election.
District 5 includes North New Hyde Park, Garden City Park, Floral Park and the villages of Saddle Rock, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Russell Gardens, University Gardens, Lake Success and other unincorporated areas.
Levy is an ordained rabbi who received his rabbinical degree from Yeshiva Kfar Chabad. He also graduated from a Volunteer Capacity Police program before receiving a full-ride scholarship to Yeshiva University, he said. He said he is president of the Harbor Hills Civic Association and deputy commander in the Israeli Police.
Levy said his top three issues are supporting tax cut budgets, fighting hate and prejudice and being a community advocate. He also said he is committed to improving local roads, downtown areas and parks.
Levy could not be reached for comment.
Walsh won District 3’s seat. Walsh has 60% of the votes, compared to Democrat Lisa A. McArdle’s 40%.
Walsh will continue to represent Garden City Park, Village of Mineola, Village of Williston Park, Village of New Hyde Park and unincorporated New Hyde Park.
Walsh is currently serving his first term as a council member on the town board. He is a retired New York City police officer who has also owned his own painting business for 25 years. Prior to serving as a council member, he was a member of the Mineola Village board for nine years.
Walsh is a member of the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, Portuguese Heritage Society, an usher at Corpus Christi Church and has volunteered with the Interfaith Nutrition Network on fundraisers and clothing drives.
McArdle, a registered Republican, criticized the county’s Republican party, as well as the Republican party in Mineola, at a Democratic party event while votes were being counted. She said they “groom” candidates and “put them in.”
“They have a political machine, you know, that’s what they do,” she said.
Troiano won District 1’s seat. Troiano received 59% of the votes compared to Republican John E. DiFrisco’s 41%.
Troiano will continue to represent District 1, which includes Carle Place, New Cassel, Old Westbury and Westbury.
He served two terms from 2004-2010 before being elected to the Nassau County Legislature. As a legislator, he represented New Cassel, Westbury, Hempstead and Lakeview from 2011 – 2014. Troiano was elected to the town council again in 2021.
Troiano has had careers in business and government, and has held a variety of appointed and elected leadership positions, including serving on the Westbury Board of Education and the Community Development Agency and as the town’s Director of Operations.
