The Washington Times: New York Rep. Anthony D’Esposito loses reelection to Democrat Laura Gillen

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito of New York, a Republican saddled with a personal scandal in a competitive district, lost his bid for reelection by Democrat Laura Gillen, a lawyer and former Hempstead Town supervisor.

The election in the state’s 4th Congressional District was called by The Associated Press on Thursday at 12:39 p.m. as Ms. Gillen led Mr. D’Esposito 51% to 49% with more than 95% of the votes tallied.

Ms. Gillen had already declared victory late Tuesday, but Mr. D’Esposito refused to concede then.

“It’s time to turn a new page,” Ms. Gillen said. “It’s time to get Congress back to work again for everyday people. It’s time to stop pointing fingers.”

The race was among several contests uncalled for days after Tuesday’s election.

In 2022, Mr. D’Esposito defeated Ms. Gillen by less than 10,000 votes in the Long Island district, one of the country’s most Democratic regions with a GOP representative.

He was part of a handful of New York GOP congressmen who won seats two years ago and helped the party capture the House majority.

As a freshman lawmaker and former NYPD detective, Mr. D’Esposito raised $4.4 million versus Ms. Gillen’s $6.1 million.

Mr. D’Esposito, who ran on securing the border and law enforcement issues, had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

In September, Mr. Trump rallied thousands of his supporters at Nassau Coliseum, where Mr. D’Esposito joined him.

“I want Donald Trump to make our economy stronger, I want Donald Trump to secure our border,” Mr. D’Esposito said at the rally.

However, the D’Esposito campaign was jarred by a New York Times report that the congressman hired his mistress and his fiancee’s daughter to work in his district office, a potential violation of House ethics rules. Mr. D’Esposito has not denied the allegations.

During the campaign, Mr. D’Esposito said there was “nothing done that was not ethical.”  Ms. Gillen responded, “The only reason he stopped there is because he got caught.”

Abortion was a key issue for Ms. Gillen, who contended the 2022 Supreme Court Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade was wrong.

The Gillen campaign touted a poll in late October conducted by Newsday and Siena College that showed her ahead of the GOP incumbent by 12 points.

Other polls, including by Gotham Polling & Analytics, toward the closing days of the election showed a dead heat.

Mr. D’Esposito, who began his political career in 2016 by serving on the Hempstead Town Council, joined fellow New York GOP colleagues to expel from Congress yet another Republican from the Empire State, George Santos, who was caught up in fraud.