Lee Zeldin Declares Victory, Votes Not All Counted

Republican incumbent Lee Zeldin has claimed victory in the hotly contested race for the First Congressional District against Democrat Nancy Goroff. Although the race has not been called and Goroff has not conceded—many thousands of absentee ballots are still being counted and mail-in ballots have until November 10 to arrive if postmarked by November 3—Zeldin had 61% of the vote with 77% reported, according to the AP.

“I am deeply honored and humbled that the families of Long Island have entrusted me to continue representing our great Congressional District,” Zeldin said in a statement. “As America enters its next chapter, I am confident we will defeat the Coronavirus and continue growing our economy. To achieve these goals, that means working across the political aisle. Having been ranked the 12th most bipartisan Congressman in America by Georgetown University and the Lugar Center, I look forward to continuing to do my part to make those goals a reality.

“Working together does not mean compromising our values. To the men and women of law enforcement, I say thank you for all you do to keep our communities safe. I unapologetically support these amazing men and women, especially when they are under attack.”

He also added, “Congratulations to my opponent, Nancy Goroff, her volunteers, and other supporters for running a hard fought campaign.”

Goroff’s campaign said in a statement, “With tens of thousands of ballots left to be opened, we owe it to voters that every single one be counted.”

And the candidate herself shared a message on Facebook: “Thank you for letting your voice be heard in this critically important election. I want you to know that I am so proud of what we have accomplished and I hope you are, too,” Goroff said. “To all of the poll workers, election officials and especially all the volunteers who made today possible, I want to say ‘thank you. You’ve done an incredible job.”

In other races, incumbent New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I) appears headed for victory over Republican challenger Heather C. Collins, while Republican Anthony Palumbo was ahead of Democrat Laura Ahearn in their New York State Senate Seat contest for the spot vacated by Kenneth LaValle after 44 years.