County Legislator Arnold Drucker of Plainview defeated former state Assemblyman Lewis Yevoli for the Democratic bid in the county Legislature’s 16th District.
Drucker pulled in 1,692 votes over Yevoli’s 942, garnering more than 64 percent of the votes in the district’s 74 precincts. Two write-in votes were also cast.
“I am humbled by the support of Nassau County’s Democrats as we continue our drumbeat of cleaning up the corruption and mess left by years of Republican neglect and abuse,” Drucker said in a statement. “Now, we organize to take down the corrupt machine that has wreaked havoc on taxpayer’s wallets for too long.”
Drucker will face Republican candidate Angel Cepeda in the general election in November.
Yevoli screened with the Nassau Democratic leadership last year to run for the seat but the party chose Drucker, a Nassau Community College trustee. Drucker, the incumbent, was elected during a special election last November after the death of Judy Jacobs.
District 16 includes Plainview, Old Bethpage, Jericho, Syosset, Woodbury, Hicksville, Old Westbury and Roslyn Heights.
Drucker, who garnered a last-minute endorsement from Gov. Andrew Cuomo Sunday afternoon, said he was surprised when Yevoli threw his hat into the ring in May.
“Mr. Yevoli has immersed himself in the culture of Republican corruption in Oyster Bay,” Drucker said of his challenger in an interview with Blank Slate Media. “To me, that is something that is very, very concerning, and it should be concerning to the residents of District 16. That compromised Democratic values coupled with the fact that he has not been relevant in the political landscape leaves me and I’m hoping the voters in my district to conclude that he’s really not a viable Democratic candidate to challenge me.”
Yevoli was unavailable for comment.
