Kopel beats Moser in Seventh Legislative District

Incumbent County Legislator Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence) defeated Democrat Adam Moser of Hewlett in the race for the 7th Legislative District seat on Tuesday. The unofficial vote count was 6,229 to 4,205.

“I’m glad that the people were able to see through the nastiness and disinformation,” said Kopel, who described the campaign as “ugly” and added that it was full of “lies and half-truths.”

In his next term, Kopel said, he looks forward to continuing to help his constituents by improving the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant, getting the Nassau Expressway completed to improve emergency evacuation and reducing traffic on Rockaway Turnpike.

As of press time late Election Night, it appeared that the Republicans in the Town of Hempstead would retain power for the next few years, as the incumbents — Supervisor Kate Murray, Clerk Mark Bonilla and Receiver of Taxes Donald X. Clavin — were leading their respective races.

Murray, running for her fifth two-year term, led her Democratic challenger, Gary Port, by more than a 2-to-1 margin as of midnight.

Hewlett’s Steve Anchin, who ran on the Democratic line, was losing to Bonilla by nearly 2-to-1. Bonilla was also running for his fifth two-year term. Clavin, too, had more than twice the votes of his challenger, Democrat Wilton Robinson. The tax receiver was seeking his third full four-term. He has served in the post since 2001.

Incumbent Republican Councilman James Darcy retained his 3rd District seat, winning another four-year term by defeating Democrat Owen Rumelt of West Hempstead. The unofficial vote total was 11,902 to 5,459.

The campaign theme for local Republicans was that Hempstead was in excellent financial shape, bolstered by high Wall Street credit ratings, debt on its loans that had been reduced by $6.3 million in the past three years and a tax-freeze budget. “It is an acknowledgement of my constituents that I am doing a job that needs to be done,” Darcy said. “I like to think I have a good reputation with helping people with their problems.”

His priorities are keeping the town’s finances strong and taxes down, he added.