Charles Lavine exits race for Nassau County executive

Assemb. Charles Lavine will abandon his campaign for Nassau County executive and back Legis. Laura Curran for the seat, citing a need to unite the Democratic Party in November.

Curran (D-Baldwin) and Lavine (D-Glen Cove) are expected to make the announcement at a news conference in Garden City on Wednesday night with Democratic Party leaders.

Lavine, who is serving his seventh term in the 13th Assembly District, said a divisive and expensive primary would be “counterproductive” and would benefit GOP county executive nominee Jack Martins.

“This is a time for unity and not discord,” said Lavine, who said his departure from the race was unrelated to fundraising or polling. “The goal must be to win in November and I will not do anything to step on that effort.”

Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs said he had several “heart to heart” conversations with Lavine about “what’s best for him and for the party.”

Jacobs noted that 59 percent of traditional Democratic primary voters are female and 65 percent live on the South Shore — factors that would appear to benefit Curran.

Lavine, chairman of the Assembly’s Committee on Ethics and Guidance, announced his county executive campaign in November, arguing that “a responsible adult” was needed to manage the county and bring honesty back to government.

Despite Lavine’s progressive bona fides and his support in North Shore communities, the party endorsed Curran, a second-term county legislator who would be Nassau’s first female county executive nominee.

Curran on Wednesday said Lavine’s endorsement of her campaign “sends a message that we are all united — the South Shore, North Shore, the county and Albany.”

Lavine’s departure from the race leaves County Comptroller George Maragos, a former Republican, as the only other candidate in the September Democratic primary.

At a news conference in Mineola on Wednesday, Maragos vowed to stay in the race and said he could defeat Curran.

“The corruption, patronage and waste in government perpetrated by the two political parties has to end,” Maragos said. “And I am the only hope as an independent Democrat not beholden to anyone.”

Jacobs said he would encourage Maragos to leave the race.

“George’s only hope was that Curran and Lavine would battle it out and he sneaked up the middle,” Jacobs said. “And that chance is gone.”

Martins, a former state senator, called Lavine’s exit a “backroom deal” and said he is “focused on restoring our faith in government, protecting our families, and putting Nassau County back on the right track.”

Jacobs and Lavine said they made no deals about future political nominations as part of Lavine’s agreement to leave the race.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.