North Hempstead GOP still looking for a candidate for town supervisor

North Hempstead Republicans left their annual nominating convention Wednesday night without declaring a pick for town supervisor.

A GOP candidate has yet to challenge first-term incumbent Judi Bosworth, a Democrat, after the party's top choice dropped out of the race earlier in the week.

"We will have a candidate in a couple of days," town GOP chairman Frank Moroney said in an interview Thursday. "It's a very early time for the convention to be."

Moroney said a potential candidate dropped out earlier in the week and officials are deciding among several contenders. "We had a lot of candidates; the one potential candidate dropping out at the last moment -- that was difficult."

A Republican would be running townwide in a Democratic stronghold. A Republican has not been supervisor since 1989, when John Kiernan was unseated by Democrat Ben Zwirn.

A competitor to Bosworth could face a serious cash disadvantage. Her campaign reported a balance of $311,323.15 in January. Of registered North Hempstead voters, 40 percent are Democrats and 29 percent are Republicans.

Other seats up in the November election are in the 2nd, 4th and 6th council districts, in addition to receiver of taxes. Henry Golis of Albertson was announced as the GOP's pick for the seat held by 2nd District Councilman Peter Zuckerman, a Democrat, of East Hills. MaryKatherine Barket, of Manhasset, is to run for the 4th District seat held by Democrat Anna Kaplan of Great Neck. Republican 6th District Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio of Port Washington is running for re-election. Republican Pepitz Blanchard of Westbury is running for receiver of taxes. The current receiver is Charles Berman of Roslyn Heights.

Democrats are to unveil their picks at a convention later in the month.

De Giorgio in 2013 ran unsuccessfully for supervisor against Bosworth, then a Nassau County legislator.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler covers Nassau County government and politics for Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.