Voter Turnout Drives Upsets in Nassau County Senate Races
Democratic challenger Lisa Vider claimed the 9th District seat while Republicans held three other contested districts in the Nov. 3 elections.
By Natalia Costa ·
Voters in Nassau County delivered a mixed result in five state Senate races on Tuesday, with Democrats flipping one district and retaining another while Republicans won three seats. The outcomes, reflected in unofficial returns from the Nassau County Board of Elections, stand out against a national wave that returned Democrats to control of both chambers of Congress.
The 9th Senate District race provided the clearest shift in local power. Democratic challenger Lisa Vider defeated Republican incumbent Patricia M. Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick with 51.24% of the vote against 48.70%. The incumbent had not conceded the race as of Wednesday morning. Vider, a health care administrator, cited high voter participation as a signal that residents sought change.
"I guess people want to change, and that's what's happening," Vider said. "They're speaking up. We have a ton of people that came out to vote. It's amazing that they're exercising their right."
In the 6th District, Democratic incumbent Siela A. Bynoe maintained her seat with 67.44% of the vote, defeating Republican Matthew J. Capp. Bynoe, the first Black person to represent Long Island in the state Senate, previously served in the Nassau County Legislature. Her opponent, a 29-year-old press secretary for the Town of Hempstead, focused on property taxes and home affordability.
Republicans secured victories in the 5th, 7th, and 8th Districts. In the 5th District, incumbent Steven D. Rhoads won 57.38% of the vote against Andrew Piddoubny. Rhoads, a volunteer firefighter and attorney, has secured nearly $2 million in local funding since his 2022 election. In the 7th District, Jake Blumencranz defeated Rory Lancman 51.96% to 47.91%. Blumencranz, a former assemblyman, described his win as a referendum for local representation.
"We just stood our ground, we fought our fight, and we won," Blumencranz said. "It's a really successful race that I think ultimately is a referendum showing that Nassau County needs Nassau County representation."
In the 8th District, Jarett C. Gandolfo won the open seat with 66.47% of the vote against Joshua James Taveras. Gandolfo, a state assemblyman, campaigned on small business support and environmental protection. Taveras, endorsed by the New York Working Families Party, focused on affordability for renters and working families.
Candidates in all five districts campaigned on overlapping issues including property-tax relief, housing, and infrastructure. The 9th District includes Long Beach and Valley Stream, while the 5th District covers Wantagh and Levittown. The 6th District encompasses Baldwin and Westbury. The 7th District includes Great Neck and Port Washington, and the 8th District spans Massapequa and Bay Shore.
