5 Towns voted for McG; Kaminsky senate seat win now official

Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) was officially declared the winner on Monday in last month’s special election for the 9th Senate District seat, affirming his win over Republican candidate Chris McGrath by 886 votes. Kaminsky was set to be sworn in on Tuesday.

The Nassau County Board of Elections certified the election after counting just over 3,200 absentee ballots, according to Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner Dave Gugerty. 

“Todd Kaminsky is officially the winner of the special election for the vacant seat in State Senate District 9,” Gugerty said. “The board worked in true bipartisan fashion to professionally and expeditiously confirm the results of this important election.”

Kaminsky scored big wins in his home of Long Beach, as well as neighboring Lido Beach. He also did very well in Valley Stream.

But McGrath won more communities overall. He did well in Oceanside, Island Park and Rockville Centre, and trounced Kaminsky in the Five Towns (especially Cedarhurst and Lawrence).

The map at left illustrates how communities in the 9th district voted — blue for Kaminsky, red for McGrath.

The race to replace former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who was convicted on corruption charges in December, took on an ugly tone in the weeks leading up to the April 19 election.

“We sent a message that the special interests and all the smoke-filled backrooms — we’re not going to take it anymore, that Long Islanders are going to win for a change, and tonight we won because of all of you,” Kaminsky said during his victory speech.