In New York’s 4th congressional district race, Democrat Laura Gillen ousted incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, according to the state Board of Elections.
Gillen was leading D'Esposito by a margin of 49 to 47 percent with all precincts reporting as of Thursday, Nov. 7.
The 4th District includes central and southern Nassau County.
In a statement X, Gillen said said she was "humbled and grateful to have the privilege of serving the people of NY04."
"I am excited to get to work for all the residents of this wonderful district."
Gillen served as Hempstead town supervisor from 2018 to 2020. The 55-year-old has worked as an attorney and as an adjunct law professor at Hofstra University.
She had stated that she was running to “reclaim” Long Island’s tradition of bipartisan representation after criticizing D’Esposito as “more focused on partisan voters, rather than working for the district.”
The 42-year-old D’Esposito, a former NYPD officer, was appointed as a councilman on the Hempstead town council and won a full term the following year. He served on the council until his election to Congress in 2022.
D’Esposito had stated he was seeking re-election to continue fighting for “commonsense Long Island values,” and that voters saw him as “more moderate” compared to Democrats.
In September, D’Esposito denied reporting by The New York Times that he gave his mistress and his fiancée’s daughter jobs in his district office.
He allegedly paid them nearly $30,000 in taxpayer funds in a violation of House ethics rules, the outlet reports.
The race was razor thin heading into Election Day; D’Esposito led Gillen by just a single percentage point, 46- to 45-percent, according to a Gotham Polling & Analytics poll released in late October.
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