Solages defeats Hardial in Democratic primary
Seats on the Long Beach City Council were among the Long Island elected offices that had primaries on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Nassau Legis. Carrié Solages (D-Valley Stream) defeated Elmont attorney Monique Hardial in the Democratic primary Tuesday in the 3rd Legislative District.
With all precincts reporting, Solages had nearly 77 percent of the vote, compared to Hardial's 23 percent.
“I would like to thank God, the entire community of the 3rd Legislative District, because the victory belongs to the community, Chairman Jay Jacobs and the entire Nassau County Democratic Committee, and my friends and family. We will continue to work hard for the betterment of our community. I have a deep and profound love for my community,” Solages said in a statement.
Hardial, a lawyer with a securities litigation firm in Manhattan, focused much of her campaign around domestic violence allegations leveled against Solages in 2017. Solages, of Valley Stream, pleaded guilty in 2018 to a noncriminal charge of disorderly conduct. He had been arrested in 2017 for allegedly assaulting his son’s mother and endangering her teenage daughter.
"This race was about standing up for the people in our community whose complaints have fallen on deaf ears, whose taxes are too high, who are suffering from two times the national rate of cancer, and who are sick and tired of flip-flopping career politicians who would do or say anything for a vote," Hardial said late Tuesday night. "Our advocacy doesn’t end here, this is just the beginning and we look forward to continuing to hold our elected officials accountable to the promises that they make and to the communities that they serve."
In Long Beach, a trio of challengers won in a Democratic primary, defeating the council’s president and vice president.
The Long Beach race centered around the city’s fiscal crisis, City Council President Anthony Eramo and Council Vice President Chumi Diamond, backed by Jacobs, conceded the City Council primary Tuesday night. Challengers from a New Wave Dems ticket — Liz Treston, Ron Paganini and Karen McInnis — won.
“This is a win for the residents and taxpayers for the City of Long Beach, and I think they have been taken advantage of for the past six years,” Treston said. “The time will come in November with a great slate for Democrats and Republicans to choose from.”
Eramo said he was “proud of our accomplishments and the race we ran.” He added, “The Democratic Party chose to take another course.”
Diamond said, “I’ve been honored to serve since 2017, and I will continue to work to move the city forward.”
In Suffolk, longtime Conservative Party member Joan Manahan defeated former Brightwaters Village Mayor Joseph McDermott, a Democrat who will have the Democratic line in the fall to represent the 11th Legislative District. Legis. Steve Flotteron (R- Brightwaters) is running for reelection and has the Republican Party line.
Flotteron had gotten Manahan, 88, a Conservative party community activist, to run on the minor party line to prevent McDermott from getting the Conservative line. Three Republicans and one Conservative were also waging write-in campaigns Tuesday after the Conservatives made a deal with Democrats to cross-endorse each other.
Eight percent of registered Democrats turned out for the Third District primary, Nassau Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner David Gugerty said Tuesday. The figure was much higher in Long Beach, with 21.4 percent of registered Democrats in that city turning out for the seven-way primary, Gugerty said.
Gugerty said there was “pretty sizable turnout for a primary in Long Beach.”
In Southampton Town, candidates for supervisor and receiver of taxes competed for the Independence Party line. Highway Superintendent Alex D. Gregor was challenging Supervisor Jay Schneiderman for the supervisor post. Receiver of Taxes Theresa A. Kiernan defeated challenger Gordon L. Herr. Six candidates were also running in the Democratic primary for five town trustee seats.
East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana lost to challenger Andrew T. Strong in a primary for the Democratic line. Twelve candidates were also running in the Democratic primary for nine town trustee positions.
With John Asbury, Vera Chinese and Candice Ferrette.
Scott Eidler covers Nassau County government and politics for Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.
