Harrison REVIEW THE
November 10, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 45 | www.harrisonreview.com
Latimer upends Astorino, wins county executive race Dems break Town Council majority; Amelio out By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer
Photo/Andrew Dapolite
By CHRISTIAN FALCONE Editor-in-Chief Republicans in Westchester didn’t stand a chance on Tuesday night, as a Democratic voter surge culminated with the ushering in of state Sen. George Latimer to the highest elected office in the county. The failed re-election for incumbent County Executive Rob Astorino, a two-term Republican, was decisive and swift. As the results began to pour in shortly after 9 p.m. on Nov. 7, the numbers quickly shifted in Latimer’s favor, and what materialized into a double-digit margin early on never tightened. It was a sobering night at the polls for Republicans throughout Westchester, who were left to regroup amid fears that the turnout was in direct response to President Donald Trump’s policies.
Termed the “Trump effect,” it was too much to overcome even for Astorino, who had defied odds in his previous election victories despite a 2-to-1 voter registration disadvantage for Republicans. According to the unofficial county Board of Elections tallies, Latimer captured 116,767 votes, equating to 57 percent of the popular vote, compared to Astorino’s 89,463 votes, or 43 percent. The turnout shows a stark turnaround from when Astorino successfully won re-election in 2013. With his biggest win to date, Latimer continues his unbeaten streak of 18 consecutive elections, which started off in 1987 in a run for the Rye City Council. He then successfully worked his way through the Westchester County Board of Legislators and into the New York state Legislature. Latimer has held some level of
elected office for 30 years. Joined by a packed house of supporters at the Coliseum White Plains, Latimer offered victory remarks to raucous cheers from the audience. “We are going to run this county well,” he said. “We’re going to run it on progressive values; we’re going to keep your taxes in line, but it’s not going to be just about taxes.” Latimer said his administration would be about jobs, housing, transportation, health care and also taxes. “We are going to show you in Westchester what we’re going to show you in the nation in three years,” he added, offering a prelude to the 2020 presidential race, “how to run America the right way.” The campaign was hard fought but also full of mudslinging from both sides. Astorino, with a significant war chest, outspent
Latimer by a 3-to-1 margin. At the Crowne Plaza White Plains, Astorino awaited the results alongside his supporters. He held out for most of the night hoping the numbers would eventually swing in his favor. But it wasn’t meant to be. At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Astorino called Latimer to concede the race and offer his congratulations. “George and I have been friends for quite a long time and served together as well,” he said. “And in the heat of an election… we’re glad we’re at this point so we can go back to being friends…. I look forward to working with him and his team to ensure a very smooth transition in January.” The county executive then addressed his friends, family and supporters. LATIMER continued on page 8
In a surprise turn of events, Harrison Town Council candidate Frank Gordon, a Democrat, edged out incumbent Councilwoman Marlane Amelio, a Republican. Mayor Ron Belmont, who ran unopposed, and Councilman Rich Dionisio, both Republicans, were also re-elected to their seats. Bucking the trend of recent Harrison races, election night belonged to Democrats who were mostly successful across the board throughout Westchester County. According to unofficial results from the county Board of Elections, Dionisio won 45 percent of the votes cast, with 4,486, while Gordon captured 28 percent, with 2,815. Amelio, who has served on the Town Council since 2010, came up 52 votes short, securing 27 percent of the total vote. Outside of a countywide surge in Democratic voters revolting against President Donald Trump, much of the spotlight in the local election cycle was on the receiver of taxes race, where controversial Republican candidate Michael Giordano defeated Maria Mioli Pennella, a registered Republican who ran on the Democratic line. Giordano captured 47 percent of the vote compared to Mioli Pennella’s 42 percent. Independent candidate Helen Pesce finished with 8 percent of the vote, while Rosa Mastrogiacomo-Luongo, who was defeated by Giordano in a Republican primary, still appeared on the general election ballot as a Reform Party candidate and finished with 3 percent of the vote. Earlier this year, the Review
confirmed that Giordano, who currently works in the tax receiver’s office, does not live in Harrison. On tax forms, he indicated that his primary residence is a property that he owns in Brewster, in Putnam County. The position of receiver of taxes is elected to a four-year term and pays an annual salary of $101,050. What was assumed to be another victory for town Republicans, Gordon’s upset allows town Democrats to break up a long held all-Republican town board with Amelio’s ouster. Amelio was the only Republican up for re-election that was not cross-endorsed by the Harrison Democratic Committee, and she also lost the backing of the local Conservative Party to Gordon, who received 428 votes from that line. Once sworn in, Gordon will join four other Republicans: Dionisio, Steve Malfitano, Fred Sciliano and Belmont, who has been serving as mayor since 2011. In Harrison, mayors are elected to four-year terms and council members are elected to two-year terms. “I’m excited to be able to serve the town of Harrison in this capacity once again,” said Dionisio, who was elected in a special election DEMS continued on page 7
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