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Friday, November 17, 2017
Vol. 66, No. 46
N E W H Y D E PA R K
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LAFAZAN WINS WITH TECH, VOLUNTEERS
PAGES 33-36 and 45-48
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Curran seen riding wave of frustration
YOUNG INVENTORS
Unhappiness with GOP in Nassau, D.C. drives county exec win: analysts BY LU K E TOR R A N C E Laura Curran became the third Democrat elected as Nassau County executive by rallying the support of voters who are frustrated with Republicans in Nassau and Washington, political analysts said. “I think it’s probably a mix,” said Craig Burnett, an assistant professor of political science at Hofstra University. “You’re going to get an increased turnout from Democrats who are unhappy with what has happened in Washington, and independent voters. There is also the corruption issues in county. People here are paying high taxes, so they’ll be sensitive to cases of corruption.” He added that turnout among Democrats was boosted by the ballot measure on whether to hold a state constitutional convention, which Democrats (and many Republicans) voted against. Around the country, last
week’s election was framed as a referendum on President Donald Trump. Burnett said the results in Virginia, where a Democrat was elected governor and the party gained seats in the legislature, could say something about Nassau County. “If you look at Virginia, you’re finding that a lot of wealthier and above average income residents who are college educated [and] live in suburbia voted Democrat, and those people usually vote Republican,” he said. “That describes a lot of voters in Nassau: pretty well educated and above average incomes. That switch this year also contributed to Curran’s victory.” There are more registered Democrats than Republicans in Nassau County, but Republicans have traditionally dominated offyear elections. Six of the county’s eight previous executives have been Republican. Continued on Page 67
PHOTO COURTESY OF SEWANHAKA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISCTRICT
Floral Park Memorial freshman Hannah Saji (standing) watches her group’s marble go through a roller coaster the students created in the school’s FUSE lab. Also pictured are Alia Kabbaj (left) and Ava Lindyberg. See story on page 59.
Gillen wins spending $1M less than Santino B Y R E B E C C A K L A R lars. The incumbent RepubAnthony Santino lost his lican received a little over bid for re-election as Town of $1,081,000 in contributions for Hempstead supervisor despite the election, of which he spent outspending his opponent, about $1,034,000, according Laura Gillen, by a million dol- to the New York State Board
of Elections. Gillen, the first Democrat to win the position in over 100 years, raised a little over $94,000 in contributions and spent about $31,000. Nassau County Democratic Continued on Page 66
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