State Sen. Carl Marcellino will win re-election to his seat, a position he's held since 1995. Initial election returns show Marcellino with a large lead over attorney and MTA watchdog Larry Silverman.
Marcellino, R-Syosset, won 62.71 percent with 78.95 of the precincts reporting.
With only 36.91 percent of the votes, challenger Larry Silverman, D-Huntington, declined to concede as of 12:35 a.m.
"No statement until last vote counted; that includes absentee. No reason to comment before that," said Stuart Held, Silverman's campaign manager.
Just after 11 p.m., Marcellino arrived at the Nassau County GOP post-election party at Mirelle's Restaurant on Post Avenue in Westbury, next door to the Nassau County Republican headquarters.
"I'm feeling good," Marcellino said. "I'm going to win my seat; that's a positive. The trick is, we [GOP] carry the majority state-wide and hold every seat we have."
Marcellino took the stage alongside his fellow GOP candidates to celebrate what Rep. Peter King called "the greatest political victory of any party since 1948."
Taking the microphone, Marcellino delivered a speech that got the crowd fired up: "They said it could never be done, that the Republicans would never be in control again" he said.
Before he was elected to the Senate, Marcellino served as Oyster Bay Town Clerk and had a 20 year career as a science teacher and NYS school administrator. He also served as Chairman of the New York State Senate Environmental Conservation Committee for 13 years.
Candidate Votes Percent Carl Marcellino 29,459 63.07 Larry Silverman 17,241 36.91