John DeGrace, GOP candidate to run against Rep. Laura Gillen, bows out

WASHINGTON — Nassau County GOP leaders' designated choice for Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen’s congressional seat on Thursday formally declined to accept a spot on the June 23 primary ballot, telling elections officials he is not running.

The decision by former Valley Stream Mayor John A. DeGrace means county GOP committee chairman Joseph Cairo and his lieutenants can — under state election rules — handpick a replacement.

Cairo, in a statement, did not specifically identify DeGrace as having bowed out. But he confirmed two vacancies have occurred for GOP candidate spots and that they "will be filled with highly qualified candidates who represent the voters’ priorities of affordability and safe communities."

However, Jay Jacobs, the Nassau County Democratic chairman, said he was notified by county election officials of DeGrace’s exit. The second GOP vacancy spot that will have to be filled is a ballot spot for the 16th Assembly District race.

This maneuver has been giving Cairo extra time to find a candidate to run for Gillen’s seat. The party, under election law, now has four days — from DeGrace’s official declination of the ballot spot — to pick someone to fill the ballot vacancy. The same for the Assembly seat.

The Gillen campaign, in a statement, said, "The Nassau GOP has gamed the system in order to secretly handpick their candidate after the filing deadline. NY-04 deserves a leader who doesn’t sneak in through the back door.” 

"I’m shocked! Shocked!" Jacobs joked sarcastically, noting this was the "bait and switch move" that Democrats have been expecting all along from Republicans, who were hoping former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito would run for the seat he lost in 2024 to Gillen.

But to run, D’Esposito would have to leave his new federal job as the Labor Department inspector general, because federal law prohibits him from doing both. And ever since he took that job in early January, he has stalled on announcing what he will do, leaving Cairo and county GOP leaders in an awkward wait.

D’Esposito did not return messages Thursday on whether he would pursue another run.

A month ago, the GOP was forced by election law deadlines to begin circulating petitions for signatures for someone to qualify for the primary ballot.

In announcing party loyalist DeGrace as their choice to run against freshman Gillen, they put out a statement attributed to him saying he was "proud to be the choice of the Nassau Republican Committee."

But it quickly became clear DeGrace was little more than a placeholder. He has not been actively campaigning or raising money — although nonpartisan handicappers have pegged the district as potentially competitive amid a nationwide fight for control of the Republican-led House. He has not filed candidacy papers with the Federal Election Commission.

Now, the names of other Republicans who could be picked as potential candidates are being floated beyond D’Esposito.

Jacobs, who is also the state Democratic chairman, said all of these political contortions and gyrations by Cairo and the Republicans suggest D’Esposito, in the end, doesn’t want to give up his new job — even though he has yet to announce he is not running.

And Jacobs characterized the race against Gillen as a "suicide mission" for Republicans.

Cairo, in his statement, offered a more optimistic view.

"The Nassau County Republican Committee is energized to continue the Red Wave that has swept across Nassau County, nominating a team of candidates that will fight the [Gov. Kathy] Hochul/[Mayor Zohran] Mandami agenda of high taxes and crime."