Gillen avoids primary as two challengers miss ballot spots

WASHINGTON — The two remaining Democratic challengers to freshman U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen said they have been disqualified for spots on the primary ballot because of shortcomings in their required paperwork.

The inability of Kiana Bierria-Anderson and Frank Lozada to secure lines on the ballot appears to clear the field for Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) to avoid a Democratic Party challenge in the June 23 primary.

But Lozada said he will press litigation in state Supreme Court after the determination against him by Nassau County elections officials. He said his case is to be heard on April 30.

A third Democrat who had filed to challenge Gillen, former Assemb. Taylor Darling, had already announced she was bowing out of the race.

Bierria-Anderson said Thursday she and her campaign aides determined themselves that her ballot petitions fell about 100 valid signatures short of the 1,250 required. She said they did so after reviewing the objections filed in state Supreme Court by "the party establishment" Democrats. She had filed more than 1,600 signatures.

Bierria-Anderson has no plans to challenge the determination. She said she had given some thought to continuing her campaign as an independent candidate but decided against it.

Lozado later Thursday confirmed he also had been knocked off the primary ballot because of alleged deficiencies that invalidated some of the more than 1,200 signatures he filed. He said he was also mulling an independent bid but had not decided as of Thursday.

Nassau County Republican leaders have endorsed Jeanine C. Driscoll, a Bellerose attorney and the elected Town of Hempstead receiver of taxes, to challenge Gillen.