Voters in the Hudson Valley stayed with Republicans in three county executive races. In Westchester, the incumbent Republican scored a decisive win in what was a closely watched and often bitter race.
Incumbent Republican Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino thanked his roomful of supporters for his decisive win, in English and Spanish.
He said, “Many thanks for your support and help.” Democratic challenger and New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson delivered a concession speech around 10:30 Tuesday night, surprising many with how early in the evening he conceded the race.
Astorino says Bramson called him around 10:10 to concede.
And here’s Bramson during his concession speech.
Again, Astorino.
At least one Democrat criticizes Astorino’s fiscal approach – Westchester Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti.
Abinanti also critiques Bramson’s campaign, saying the Democrats committed a tactical error.
He says Astorino’s campaign outspent Bramson’s campaign by at least a 2-to-1 margin. And 2-to-1 has another meaning, according to New York Republican State Committee Executive Director Michael Lawler.
In Orange and Rockland Counties, the incumbent Republican county executives did not seek another term. Orange County Executive Ed Diana, who is recovering from liver transplant surgery, had said earlier this year he would not run. Republican Chester Town Supervisor Steven Neuhaus handily defeated Democratic County Legislator Roxanne Donnery, with about 55 percent of the vote to Donnery’s nearly 44 percent. Paul Basinski is a political science professor at Orange County Community College.
In addition to running as a Democrat, Donnery also ran on a grassroots party line, the name of which adorned her yard signs – Had Enough? She was hoping to seize upon what became two divisive issues toward the end of Diana’s run – what to do about the county-owned Valley View nursing home, and whether to build a new county government center or renovate the current one.
Orange County voters chose Republican David Hoovler for district attorney and Republican Annie Rabbitt for county clerk. Rabbitt will vacate her state Assembly seat. Republican District Attorney Frank Phillips did not seek re-election.
In Rockland County, Republican County Legislator Ed Day beat Democrat David Fried and Conservative Thomas Sullivan with nearly 52 percent of the vote, keeping the county executive post Republican, as it has been for 20 years. Republican County Executive Scott Vanderhoef did not seek a sixth term.
In Ulster County, Democratic Comptroller Elliott Auerbach was re-elected, and the Ulster County Legislature could flip to a Democratic majority after an upset in a legislator race, though absentee ballots still need to be counted in other legislator races. Democrat Chris Allen defeated incumbent Republican Robert Aiello for the district seat out of Saugerties.
