Laura Gillen declares victory in rematch against L.I. Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito

Laura Gillen declared triumph Tuesday nighttime successful 1 of the astir intimately contested House elections successful the state, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito and flipping Long Island’s District 4 back to Democrats.

Gillen celebrated arsenic the polls showed she had a tight, little than two-point pb implicit D’Esposito with astir each the ballots counted.

“In this campaign, the voters of this territory chose communal consciousness implicit chaos and corruption,” Gillen said connected societal media. “It is the grant of my beingness to beryllium the adjacent Congresswoman from the Fourth Congressional District.”

Gillen’s triumph successful the highly competitory rematch comes 2 years aft losing the territory race successful what galore saw arsenic a fumble from the authorities Democratic Party.

New York’s District 4 historically votes blue: In 2020, President Biden won it by much than 14 points. However, successful 2022, D’Esposito bushed Gillen for the spot — landing the territory successful Republican hands for the archetypal clip successful decades.

The race, connected the the South Shore of Long Island, had drawn high-power elected officials connected some sides to campaign, including Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries for Gillen and House Speaker Mike Johnson for D’Esposito.

D‘Esposito, a erstwhile NYPD serviceman and Hempstead Council member, has been endorsed by erstwhile President Donald Trump and spoke astatine Trump’s Nassau County rally successful September.

The freshman rep came nether occurrence aft the New York Times reported that helium had an affair, and past enactment some his mistress and his longtime fiancée’s girl connected his payroll.

Gillen, a erstwhile Hempstead municipality supervisor, has presented herself arsenic a moderate, campaigning connected termination rights arsenic good arsenic restricting immigration. 

“We’re 2,000 miles from Mexico, but we’re feeling the migrant situation astir each day,” the campaigner says successful a governmental ad. “So I privation you to perceive maine large and clear: You nonstop maine to Congress, I volition enactment with anyone successful immoderate enactment to unafraid our confederate border, fastener up criminals pushing fentanyl and halt the migrant crisis.”

On Tuesday, Gillen formed her ballot, reportedly saying she felt assured successful her contention — but repeatedly refused to answer however she voted connected ballot Proposal 1, which would enshrine termination rights successful the authorities constitution.