Updated: Election 2016 - 20th A.D.

Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2016 11:06 pm

Long Beach City Councilman Anthony Eramo defeated former Nassau County Legislator Jeff Toback by a wide margin in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for the vacant 20th Assembly District seat.

According to unofficial results released with all 114 voting districts reporting, Eramo had 2,828 votes, or 71 percent, while Toback garnered 1,130 votes, or 28 percent.

Eramo will face Republican candidate Missy Miller, of Atlantic Beach, and Green Party candidate Joseph Naham, of Long Beach, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Nassau Democrats nominated Eramo at the party’s convention in May, after the 20th Assembly District seat was vacated by State Sen. Todd Kaminsky. Kaminsky, a Democrat, won the April 19 special election for the Senate seat of former Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who was removed from the Senate when he was convicted of corruption charges last December.

Shortly after the polls closed at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs and members of Eramo’s campaign called the election for Eramo, saying that he had won by a 2-to-1 margin. Toback conceded the race even though the vote totals were not official.

“This is a great victory — this is our victory,” Eramo told his supporters in a victory speech at the Park Sports Bar & Grill in Long Beach. “This was never just about Long Beach, this was about all of us, the whole district. I am truly humbled that the people of the South Shore trust me to represent them. To have the support of all my friends, neighbors and colleagues throughout this campaign is very humbling to me. This resounding win has emboldened me to continue to stand up for reform and for middle-class values in the Assembly.”

Eramo, 42, vice president of the City Council, is a Verizon field technician and serves as the chief steward for Local 1106. He pointed to his strength as an advocate in his campaign against Toback, 56, an attorney and a fellow Long Beach resident.

“I congratulate Anthony, his family and his team on their impressive win,” Toback said. “I’m sure he will prevail in November, and hope that as our assemblyman, he pays attention to some of the important issues we raised in the campaign, that will better serve the residents of the district.”

Eramo pledged to work with Kaminsky — who stood by Eramo’s side as he thanked his supporters — in the State Legislature, and to fight for stronger ethics reforms, if he is elected in November.

“I supported Anthony — I saw what he did for Long Beach after Superstorm Sandy, and I know he cares about the average taxpayer,” Kaminsky said. “I’m going to need a good partner in Albany to help in the battle against corruption and make sure special interests aren’t calling the tune, and I think we’re going to work well together.”

Eramo touted his environmental advocacy during the campaign — he led an effort by the council against a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal off the coast of Long Beach last year — and pledged to fight for lower taxes, more state education aid and more help for Sandy victims.

“South Shore families have faced many challenges in recent years, and today we had to make a choice,” he told the crowd. “The difference between my opponent and us was clear: rising costs of living, eroding protections for workers and the utter devastation of Superstorm Sandy pushed us to the limit, but we are not broken. We deserve a strong advocate in Albany with the experience and proven record of leadership to fight for our families and ensure a better life for all.”

Eramo supports an effort led by Kaminsky in the Senate to ban state lawmakers from earning outside income in the wake of the corruption convictions of Skelos and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver last year, and he pledged to resign from his job to focus on being a full-time legislator.

Toback, who was endorsed by Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford (R-Long Beach), the New York League of Conservation Voters and the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, among other groups, presented himself as the more moderate candidate during the race. He regularly criticized Eramo over a proposed 20-year, $109 million tax break that the developer iStar was seeking to build luxury apartment buildings on the vacant Superblock property. Eramo emphasized that while he supported a labor agreement with iStar that he said would benefit hundreds of local union workers, he did not speak in favor of the tax abatement.

Eramo had the support of numerous labor unions and other organizations ranging from the Women’s Equality Party to the Working Families Party. He was also backed by the Long Beach Democratic Committee, members of the Independent Democratic Club of Long Beach and many of Toback’s former colleagues in the County Legislature.

Eramo thanked his family and campaign staff, as well as Kaminsky and other supporters, including State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, former Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, Assemblyman Charles Lavine, City Council President Len Torres and Councilman Scott Mandel.

“I think the combination of Kaminsky and Eramo is truly going to deliver for our area the support we need and the voice we need in Albany — it’s a championship duo,” said Mandel, adding that it was too early to say who might replace Eramo on the council if he wins in November.

In a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans, Kaminksy said that Eramo remains a formidable candidate. “Democrats have a vast majority in the Assembly, and having a Democrat in the Assembly provides a tremendous advantage to the district, because we’ll be able to bring resources — both legislatively and monetarily — to the district,” Kaminsky said. “It’s been a Democratic district for a long time, and I expect it to remain so, and I look forward to working with Anthony to help push him over the finish line in November.”