Dead heat in 21st District

As of midnight on election night, tens of thousands of absentee ballots remained to be counted, making projecting winners in any number of races for Congress and the State Legislature tricky, if not impossible.

In the 21st District, State Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, a Democrat from Rockville Centre, was losing to Republican challenger Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, who, at press time, had 50 percent of the vote to her opponent’s 49 percent, according to the Nassau County Board of Elections.

But thousands of absentee ballots, which could tip the scale of the race, were still to be counted, and tllying them could take days.

"This has been a hard fought re-election," Griffin said Wednesday morning. "I want to first thank all of my supporters. We knew going in that votes on Election Day would be close. There are at least 12,944 absentee ballots to be counted. A majority of which are Democratic votes. News 12 was wrong to declare a winner in this race. I am confident in a victory after absentee votes are counted."

Meanwhile, State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat representing the 9th District, was re-elected with 53 percent of the vote to 47 percent for his challenger, Victoria Johnson. “It’s really gratifying to have the voters of the South Shore send me back” to Albany, Kaminsky said, noting that only a few years ago, none of Long Island’s senators were Democrats.

Incumbent Republican Melissa “Missy” Miller defeated Gregory Marks, a Democrat from Hewlett, in the 20th Assembly District. Miller earned her third two-year term in the Assembly with a come-from-behind victory. 

“I’m so happy to be given the opportunity to continue to serve the amazing people of the 20th District,” Miller said. “It’s truly an honor, and I will continue to make all voices heard.”

U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat representing the 4th Congressional District, was also re-elected. She grabbed 52 percent of the vote to 47  percent for her opponent, Republican Douglas Tuman.

Veteran U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from southwest Queens who represents the 5th District, was re-elected to his 12th term. He ran unopposed.

Assemblywoman Michele Solages, a Democrat, decisively won re-election over Republican challenger Nicholas Zacchea in the 22nd Assembly District, taking 66 percent of the vote. This will be Solages’s fourth term in the Assembly.

Bridget Downes contributed to this story.